Australia Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Iran over Anti-Semitic Attacks
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday that his government is severing all diplomatic relations with Iran, attributing the decision to Iran’s alleged coordination of two anti-Semitic attacks on Australian soil last year.
According to Albanese, the Australian security intelligence agency concluded in October 2024 that Iran orchestrated an arson attack on a kosher food company in Sydney, Lewis Continental Kitchen, as well as a fire at the Adas Islamic Synagogue in Melbourne two months later.
Tehran has denied any involvement. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghhai, stated that the country “absolutely” rejects the accusations and warned that “inappropriate and unjust actions at the diplomatic level are mutually reactive.”
These allegations emerged during a troubling increase in anti-Semitic incidents across Sydney and Melbourne, which coincided with Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Authorities have expressed concerns that foreign governments might be enlisting local criminals to facilitate such acts within Australia.
Law enforcement has apprehended multiple suspects related to the arson incidents, including Sayed Mohammed Moosawi, a 32-year-old linked to the “Nomads Motorcycle Gang,” who faces charges for coordinating the firebombing at the kosher kitchen and a nearby brewery. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Giovanna Raul was charged as one of three individuals accused of setting fire to the synagogue, with another suspect, a 20-year-old man, scheduled for a court appearance.
“ASIO now has enough reliable intelligence to reach a deeply unsettling conclusion,” Albanese commented. “The Iranian government has directed at least two of these attacks. These were dangerous acts of aggression organized by foreigners on Australian soil, seeking to undermine social cohesion in our community. That’s completely unacceptable.”
Just before making this announcement, Albanese said the Australian ambassador to Iran, Ahmad Sadegi, has been expelled. Australia also swiftly pulled out its diplomat from Tehran to a neutral location.
The government has updated travel alerts, advising Iranian Australians to consider leaving Iran promptly if it is safe, citing a heightened risk of arbitrary arrest and detention there.
“Iranian foreigners, including Australians and dual citizens, are at a higher risk of arbitrary detention or arrest,” the alert cautioned.
Moreover, Australia raised its travel warnings regarding Iran to the highest level, urging residents to avoid travel to the country.
Iran has long faced allegations of detaining foreigners, particularly dual citizens, without transparency.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement, Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that Australia would keep limited diplomatic channels with Tehran to safeguard the nation’s interests, marking the first time since World War II that an ambassador has been expelled.
Albanese also indicated plans to introduce legislation to formally designate Iran’s revolutionary security forces as terrorist organizations, making it a criminal offense to support any listed groups under Australian law. Previously, the government resisted calls to label these forces as terrorist entities due to their status as a governmental body.
Internationally, Iranian paramilitaries have been accused of orchestrating attacks, although they consistently deny such involvement. The U.S. designated the Revolutionary Guard as a foreign terrorist organization during former President Trump’s administration in 2019, alleging its direct role in acts of terror.
A spokesman for the Australian Jewish Executive Council welcomed the proposed designation, expressing anger over the foreign involvement in the attacks.
“More than anything, these were attacks that intentionally targeted Jewish Australians, devastated places of worship, inflicted millions in damages, and instilled fear within our community,” the statement emphasized.
The decision to sever ties with Iran followed recent criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described Albanese as a “weak politician” regarding his stance on the Palestinian issue. Some analysts noted that Albanese’s administration had previously been hesitant to expel Iranian diplomats.
However, in a discussion with reporters, Michael Shellige, a former defense attorney and security officer, highlighted that this decision seems to be more about maintaining community cohesion in Australia rather than responding to Israeli critiques.
“I don’t think it’s a matter of Australia-Israel relations; it’s about community cohesion here in Australia,” he remarked.
