Australia says Iran was behind two antisemitic attacks; Iranian ambassador expelled

Australia’s national security service has determined the Iranian government directed at least two antisemitic attacks in Australia – on Lewis Continental Kitchen in Sydney, and the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne.

It’s likely the regime has been behind more attacks, according to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday the Iranian ambassador to Australia is being expelled, as well as three other officials. They will have seven days to leave the country.

The operation of the Australian embassy in Iran has been suspended and its staff moved to a third country for their safety.

The Lewis Continental Kitchen at Bondi was set on fire in October 2024. The Adass Synagogue in Ripponlea was firebombed and extensively damaged in December 2024.

ASIO informed the federal government on Monday of its assessment, and Iran was informed of the action around lunchtime Tuesday.

Albanese announced the decision at a joint news conference with the head of ASIO Mike Burgess, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

The prime minister also said the government would legislate to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.

The IRGC represents the most powerful branch of the Iranian armed forces, and is independent of Iran’s regular army.

Burgess said ASIO assessed the Iranian government had likely directed more attacks on Jewish interests in Australia than the two that had been specified.

“Our painstaking investigation uncovered and unpicked the links between the alleged crimes and the commanders in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC,” Burgess said.

“The IRGC used a complex web of proxies to hide its involvement.”

He said there was a “layer-cake of cut-outs between IRGC and the person or the alleged perpetrators conducting crimes.

"In between them, they tap into a number of people, agents of IRGC, and people that they know in the criminal world, and work through there, so it’s a series of chains.

"There’s an organised crime element offshore in this. But that’s not to suggest organised crime are doing it. They’re just using cut-outs, including people who are criminal and members of organised crime gangs to do their bidding or direct their bidding.”

Burgess said ASIO was still investigating possible Iranian involvement in other attacks. But he stressed he did not believe the Iranian regime was responsible for every antisemitic attack in Australia.

Wong said this was the first time in the postwar period that Australia had expelled an ambassador, “Iran’s actions are completely unacceptable. We’ll continue to maintain some diplomatic lines to advance the interests of Australians.”

She said Australia had had an embassy in Iran since 1968. “At that time and since that time it’s never been an endorsement of the regime, it’s been a channel to advocate for our interests and for our people.

"However, the government has now taken the step to withdraw our ambassador to Iran and we have suspended the operations of our embassy in Iran for the safety of our officials and Australians’ broader security.”

Wong urged any Australian who might be considering travelling to Iran not to do so, and any Australian in Iran to leave if it was safe to do so.

Burke said this was “an unprecedented attack on our society.

"It’s aimed at creating fear, stoking internal divisions, and eroding social cohesion.”