Australia Expels Iranian Ambassador and Withdraws Envoy from Tehran
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr news Agency and Al Jazeera, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expelled Ahmad Sadeghi, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Canberra. He accused tehran of directing two anti-Semitic attacks on Australian soil.
Albanese described the attacks,which occurred last year in Sydney and Melbourne,as “unusually antagonistic and risky acts organized by a foreign country with the intent to undermine Australian social cohesion.”
Calling these actions unacceptable, he stated, “The Australian government will take strong and decisive measures. We recently informed the Iranian ambassador here that he is being expelled.”
The Prime Minister also announced that Australia’s diplomatic presence in Iran has been suspended and all embassy staff have been relocated to a third country.
Continuing his hostile stance with baseless allegations against Tehran, Albanese added: “I can also announce that the government will approve placing the Islamic Revolutionary guard Corps on its list of terrorist organizations.”
Australian officials reported that these incidents took place on October 10 at Sydney’s Lewis Continental Kitchen restaurant and December 6 at Melbourne’s adass Israel Synagogue. While neither attack caused casualties,assailants set fire to property causing extensive damage at both locations.
Penny Wong, Australia’s Foreign Minister, confirmed that Sadeghi along with three other Iranian embassy staff were declared persona non grata and given seven days to leave Australia.This marks the first time since World War II that Australia has expelled a foreign ambassador while simultaneously withdrawing its own ambassador from Tehran.