There is no accusation Ahmad Sadeghi, the embassy or Iranian diplomats in Australia were involved in any attacks
There is no accusation Ahmad Sadeghi, the embassy or Iranian diplomats in Australia were involved in any attacks
The Australian government has rubbished denials from Iran over accusations its military wing had directed antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne, with the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, claiming evidence of direct links from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the arson attacks.
It comes as Iran’s ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, was spotted leaving the Canberra embassy on Wednesday after becoming the first ambassador to be booted by the federal government since the second world war.
The Labor government has declined to say exactly what evidence led to intelligence agencies pointing the finger at the IRGC but the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has hinted investigations included cryptocurrency and encrypted messaging.
“We have the information as to precisely which section this came from. It came from the IRGC … there is a very, very high level of confidence,” Burke told the ABC.
The Australian government alleged that 2024 arson attacks on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and Lewis’s Continental Kitchen in Sydney were engineered by commanders in the IRGC, who, through a series of intermediaries, targeted the premises in heavily Jewish neighbourhoods. Mike Burgess, the director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, alleged that some local people in Australia were paid to carry out the attacks without identifying individuals.
Iranian diplomats posted to Australia were not involved, Burgess said.
Albanese on Tuesday said the government had “credible intelligence” as to Tehran’s involvement and it was “likely” Iran was responsible for some other antisemitic attacks.
Iran’s government flatly rejected Australia’s claims on Wednesday.
