Diplomatic Crisis: Australia Expels Iranian Ambassador

SadaNews - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced today, Tuesday, that his country has decided to expel the Iranian ambassador in light of Tehran's involvement in two anti-Semitic attacks within Australia.

Albanese stated in a press conference that the Iranian government "directly instructed the launch of at least two anti-Semitic attacks in Australia," emphasizing that this behavior is unacceptable and undermines the democratic values of his country.

He added that operations at the Australian embassy in Tehran have been suspended, and all Australian diplomats are now safe in a third country.

The Australian Prime Minister also announced that he will begin the process of designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, a step that escalates the diplomatic confrontation between Canberra and Tehran. Albanese noted that Australian intelligence linked Iran to two attacks targeting a restaurant in Sydney and a mosque in Melbourne.

Albanese told reporters: "The Australian Security Intelligence Agency has gathered enough reliable intelligence to come to a very troubling conclusion. The Iranian government has directed at least two of these attacks. Iran attempted to conceal its involvement, but the agency's assessment confirms that it was behind those assaults."

For her part, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a press conference that Australia has given the Iranian ambassador and three other Iranian officials seven days to leave the country, marking the first expulsion of an ambassador carried out by Australia since World War II.

Additionally, Australia has withdrawn its ambassador to Iran and suspended its embassy operations in Tehran.

The Foreign Minister affirmed: "We made this decision because Iran's actions are absolutely unacceptable."

She clarified that Australia will maintain diplomatic lines with Iran to protect Australian interests in that country.

Australia has had an embassy in Tehran since 1968.