Australia expels Iranian ambassador over antisemitic attacks

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the attacks were "extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil".

The chief of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio), Mike Burgess, said his agency assessed that the Iranian government directed at least two "and likely more attacks' on Jewish targets.

Ahmad Sadeghi and three other officials have been ordered to leave Australia within seven days. Iran has not yet commented on the action taken by Australian officials.

Burgess said: "Iran has sought to disguise its involvement, but Asio assesses it was behind the attacks on the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Sydney on 20 October last year, and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on 6 December."

Nobody was injured in either of the attacks.

According to Foreign Minister Penny Wong, this is the first time since World War Two that Australia has expelled an ambassador.

Wong said that Australia would continue to maintain some diplomatic lines with Tehran but had suspended operations at its embassy in Iran for the safety of staff.

She also urged Australians not to travel to Iran and called for any citizens in the country to leave now if it is safe to do so.

Albanese said his government would also designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.