Published: 26 August 2025
Last updated: 28 August 2025
ASIO has confirmed that the Iranian government is behind the attacks on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and Continental Kitchen in Sydney, and believes it may be responsible for other antisemitic attacks across the country.
Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi has been expelled from Australia, and the Australian embassy in Tehran has suspended its operations and moved all diplomats to safety in a third country.
Australia will list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation in response to the attacks.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Iranian involvement at a media conference in Canberra this afternoon.
"These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil. They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and sow discord in our community," Albanese said.
Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs, said although no one was injured in the attacks, they did significant harm to Australia.
"The community of the Adass Israel Synagogue was harmed, the community that shopped at the Lewis' Continental Kitchen and the owners were harmed, the Jewish community were harmed, other communities who were blamed were harmed, but simply Australia was attacked and Australia was harmed."
Comments1
Ian Light26 August at 07:49 am
The Australian Government has shown it is in pursuit of a courageous and humane policy .
It is forbidding the Extreme Malevolent Forces from Australian Soil .
The Humane Policy of the Release of all Israeli Hostages a Ceasefire and a Flood of aid to Gaza plus an International Moderate Arab led Force in Gaza for Rebuilding De radicalisation and De Militarisation is supported .