Australia accuses Iran of anti-Semitic attacks in the country

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday that the Iranian government is behind anti-Semitic attacks in the country against the Jewish community and announced the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador in Canberra.

Albanese said Iran was behind the attacks on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and the Continental Kitchen restaurant in Sydney, and that it likely directed other attacks on Australian soil as well.

The Australian leader said that Australian intelligence has linked Iran to these two attacks.

"ASIO [Australian Security Intelligence Organisation] has gathered enough credible information to reach a deeply disturbing conclusion. The Iranian government directed at least two of these attacks. Iran has attempted to disguise its involvement, but ASIO assesses that it was behind the attacks," Albanese told reporters.

For Albanese, “these were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil.”

“ These were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community,” he added.

Australia has given the ambassador and three other Iranian diplomats seven days to leave the country, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said at a press conference.

Australia will legislate to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's ideological army, as a terrorist organization, Albanese added.