Australia says Iran behind anti-Semitic attacks, expels ambassador

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said the Iranian government orchestrated anti-Semitic attacks on Australian soil and has announced the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador.

Speaking to reporters, Albanese said the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had confirmed Tehran's involvement in attacks targeting Australia's Jewish community, including Melbourne's Adass Israel Synagogue and Sydney's Lewis' Continental Kitchen.

"These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil," the prime minister said.

"They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community," he added.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that this marks the first time since World War II that Canberra has expelled an ambassador.

In addition to ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi, three other Iranian diplomats have been declared persona non grata and must leave Australia within seven days.

The Australian embassy in Tehran suspended its operations, Wong said, with all staff safely relocated to a third country. She urged Australians in Iran to leave immediately if it is safe to do so.

Last October, the Jewish restaurant Lewis' Continental Kitchen in Sydney was severely damaged in an arson attack, though no one was injured.

A few weeks later, unknown perpetrators set fire to the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne. Both attacks left the Jewish community in fear.

"I can also announce the government will legislate to list Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, as a terrorist organization," Albanese said.