Australia blames Iran for attacking Jews, boots ambassador

Iran orchestrated two attacks on Jews in Australia last year, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday. Australian intelligence agencies came to the conclusion after a thorough investigation and believe Iran likely directed additional attacks, Albanese said. Iran used proxies and third parties to hide its involvement, Australia Director-General of Security Mike Burgess said on Tuesday.

The two anti-Semitic attacks Albanese referenced took place at a Sydney restaurant last October and a Melbourne synagogue in December. Both involved arson. No one was injured in the attacks, officials said Tuesday, although police earlier said the hand of a witness was burned in the synagogue attack. The Adass synagogue was firebombed and gutted in the other attack, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The kosher restaurant fire caused about $1 million in damage.

How did the Australian government respond to the findings? Australia expelled the Iranian ambassador from the country, closed its Tehran embassy, and pulled out all of its diplomats, according to Albanese. Australia hasn’t expelled another country’s ambassador since World War II, according to Foreign Minister Penny Wong. The government would also introduce legislation that would designate the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, Albanese said.

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