Iran reduces Australia's diplomatic presence after Canberra expels its ambassador

Tehran, Sep 5 (IANS) Iran has reduced the level of Australia's diplomatic presence in the country following Canberra's expulsion of Iranian Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi last month, media reported.

Australia's Ambassador to Iran, Ian McConville, has left the country, while the consular section of Iran's embassy in Canberra remains operational and is trying to provide services to Iranian nationals in Australia despite imposed limitations, Iran's Khabar Foori news website quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying on Thursday.

Baghaei described Canberra's expulsion of Iranian ambassador as "unjustified" said it "affects the two nations' ties".

On August 26, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a press conference accused Iran of directing anti-semitic attacks in Australia and announced that Sadeghi had been told to leave the country, Xinhua news agency reported.

Three other Iranian officials had also been expelled from Australia.

Albanese said Australia had gathered credible evidence that Iran directed at least two anti-semitic attacks against the Australian Jewish community in Sydney and Melbourne since October 2023.

He said that the Australian Embassy in Tehran had suspended operations and all its diplomats are safe in a third country, and that Canberra would move to list Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

According to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, it was the first time an ambassador had been expelled from Australia since World War II.

Later that day, Iran condemned Canberra's move, and accused Australia of following Israeli policies to divert attention from Israel's "ongoing atrocities" in Gaza and to increase regional tensions, and warned of possible reciprocal measures.

On August 27, Canberra rejected the claim that its expulsion of Sadeghi and the suspension of its own embassy were taken to appease Israel.

Prime Minister Albanese said intelligence services concluded that Iran directed a fire at the Lewis Continental Cafe in Sydney in October 2024 and an arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne in December 2024.

No injuries were reported in either attack.

Australia also recalled its own ambassador, suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran, and announced plans to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

--IANS

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