Australia expels Iranian ambassador over antisemitic attacks in Melbourne, Sydney
Canberra: Australia has expelled Iran’s ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi after intelligence services concluded that Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was responsible for two antisemitic arson attacks in Sydney and Melbourne. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said intelligence agencies had reached the “deeply disturbing conclusion” that the IRGC orchestrated the October 2024 firebombing of the Lewis Continental Café, a kosher café in Sydney’s Bondi, and the December 2024 arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne. No casualties were reported in either incident, but Albanese described them as “extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression” aimed at undermining social cohesion in Australia.
The government has declared Ambassador Sadeghi persona non grata and ordered him, along with three other Iranian officials, to leave within seven days. Australia has also withdrawn its ambassador from Tehran and suspended embassy operations there. Foreign Minister Penny Wong underlined the gravity of the step, noting it was the first expulsion of a foreign ambassador by Australia since World War II. She warned Australians not to travel to Iran and urged those currently there to leave if it is safe to do so, citing “extremely limited” consular support.
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) chief Michael Burgess said a detailed investigation confirmed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard directed at least two, and likely more, attacks on Jewish interests in Australia through a “complex web of proxies.” He said Iran’s actions were unacceptable, endangered lives, and threatened the country’s social fabric.
Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, welcomed the government’s findings but said the Jewish community remained anxious at being targeted “in such a callous and calculated way by a ruthless foreign force.” The Australian government has also announced plans to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, a move welcomed by Israel’s embassy in Canberra, which described it as a “strong and important step.” Iran’s embassy in Canberra has not immediately commented on the decision.
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Minor girl kidnapped and raped; main accused and two cafe owners held
Latur (PTI): A minor girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by an 18-year-old man in Latur, leading to the arrest of the main accused and owners of two cafes where the crime occurred on December 4, police said on Saturday.
Police traced the girl within hours of registering the complaint. The accused, identified as Rihan Gulab Shaikh, was arrested based on the girl's complaint. Two others are owners of two cafes where the crime occurred, police said.
Police registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), POCSO Act, and the Prevention of Atrocities Act, an official said.
