SAEDNEWS: The Iranian Embassy in Australia stated that consular services continue for Iranian and foreign nationals, while Tehran rejected recent Australian Prime Minister accusations of anti-Semitism and reserved the right to countermeasures.
The Consular Section of the Iranian Embassy in Australia announced in a statement that consular services for Iranian and foreign nationals will continue, albeit with slight delays.
The statement noted that due to some unforeseen developments, consular services at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Canberra will continue effectively, though with minor delays. The embassy emphasized that all efforts are being made to provide services efficiently, and cooperation from the Iranian community in Australia is appreciated.
Earlier, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Iran of directing at least two anti-Semitic attacks in Australia, claiming without evidence that Australian intelligence linked Iran to an attack on a restaurant in Sydney and a synagogue in Melbourne.
Prior to the embassy’s statement, the Australian government informed Iran’s ambassador in Australia that he would be “expelled.” Albanese also stated that Australian diplomats in Iran would be relocated to a third country.
However, Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed that Canberra intends to maintain diplomatic relations with Iran to advance Australian interests.
Albanese claimed that the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has collected sufficient information to reach “a deeply concerning conclusion” and announced plans to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a “terrorist organization.”
In response, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs fully rejected the allegation of promoting anti-Semitism and highlighted that anti-Semitism is historically a Western-European phenomenon. The ministry stated that in recent years, this concept has been misused to suppress objections to occupation, apartheid, and genocide against Palestinians.
The statement further emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns the ongoing crimes and genocide in Gaza, holds accountable all supporters and justifiers of these crimes, and views Australia’s accusations against Iran as aligned with Israeli policies to divert public attention from the Palestinian tragedy. The ministry reserved the right to retaliate and called on Australia to reconsider its wrongful decision, noting that the consequences, including challenges for the Iranian community in Australia, are Australia’s responsibility.
