Australia Expels Iranian Ambassador and Closes Its Embassy in Tehran

SadaNews - The Australian government announced on Tuesday the expulsion of Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi and three other diplomats, giving them a seven-day deadline to leave the country, along with recalling its ambassador from Tehran and suspending operations of its embassy there. This decision is unprecedented since World War II.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated at a press conference that Australia has given the Iranian ambassador and three other Iranian diplomats a seven-day deadline to leave the country.

This marks the first time Australia has expelled an ambassador since World War II.

For his part, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that intelligence agencies reached a "serious concern" conclusion that Iran orchestrated at least two anti-Semitic attacks.

The Prime Minister said at a press conference that Tehran is behind an arson attack targeting Louis Continental café, which specializes in serving kosher food to Jews in the Bondi area of Sydney in October 2024.

He added that intelligence also concluded that Iran was behind an intentional fire at Adas Israel synagogue in Melbourne in December 2024.

Neither of the attacks resulted in human casualties.

Albanese stated, "These were exceptionally dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign country on Australian soil."

He added, "They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community. This is absolutely unacceptable."

The Prime Minister suggested that Iran may be behind other anti-Semitic attacks that occurred in Australia.

Accordingly, Australia declared Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi an "unwelcome person" and ordered him along with three other Iranian diplomats to leave the country within seven days.

Australia also withdrew its ambassador to Iran and suspended operations of its embassy in Tehran.

The Prime Minister stated that all accredited Australian diplomats in Iran are now "safe in a third country."

He added that Australia will also initiate the necessary procedures to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.

For her part, Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed that this is the first time her country has expelled an ambassador in the post-war era.

She said, "We made this decision because Iran's actions are completely unacceptable."

The Foreign Minister clarified that Australia will maintain diplomatic lines with Iran to protect the interests of Australians in that country.

Australia has had an embassy in Tehran since 1968.