CANBERRA: Australia has expelled Iran’s ambassador and three other diplomats, accusing Tehran of involvement in two anti-Semitic attacks on Australian soil. The officials have been given seven days to leave the country, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced.
Speaking to reporters, Albanese confirmed that operations at Australia’s embassy in Tehran have been suspended. He further revealed plans to introduce legislation that would formally designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization.
The expulsion comes as tensions between Iran and the West continue to escalate. Responding to the developments, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that Tehran would never bow to U.S. pressure, calling the rift with Washington “unresolvable.”
“The United States wants Iran to be submissive, but our nation will stand firm against such false expectations,” Khamenei said in remarks carried by Iranian state media. He criticized those advocating direct talks with Washington, describing them as “foolish,” and accused foreign adversaries of seeking to sow division within Iran.
The statement follows a turbulent summer of hostilities. In June, Iran suspended nuclear negotiations with the United States after U.S. and Israeli strikes targeted its nuclear facilities during a 12-day conflict. Despite that, European powers and Tehran agreed last week to resume discussions on curbing uranium enrichment, raising cautious hopes for renewed diplomacy.
