The head of the Australian Jewish Association is urging the government to expel the Iranian government’s ambassador to the country due to recent antisemitic remarks made by the diplomat.
“[Prime Minister] Albanese’s government should expel the ambassador. There shouldn't be an embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Australia at the moment,” AJA CEO Robert Gregory said in an interview with Iran International’s Alireza Mohebbi.
The call comes after the Islamic Republic’s Ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi, posted a series of tweets on X (formerly known as Twitter).
In one of his tweets Sadeghi said humanity had no choice but to put "an end" to Israel, calling it “the most notorious killing machine in current world history.
The posts followed Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7, where thousands of gunmen killed around 1,200 Israelis and foreigners. It was the worst loss of life in a single day since Israel's founding in 1948. More than 240 people were taken hostage.
In retaliation, Israel declared war on the militant group. Since then, the numbers compiled by Gaza’s Ministry of Health, run by Hamas, says Israeli strikes have killed around 30,000 people since.
The Iranian Ambassador has used his official X account to post numerous images of what appeared to be dead children – along with violent rhetoric against Israel throughout this recent conflict.
Although the Australian government condemned Iran’s ambassador for the posts, Gregory criticized the Prime Minister of Australia for offering "mere words of condemnation" regarding anti-Semitism.
The tit-for-tat military attacks between Israel and Iran last month further fueled tensions between the AJA and the Islamic Republic's embassy in Australia.
On April 13, Iran launched 300 missiles and combat drones in retaliation for Israel's April 1 air strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus. Six days later, a suspected Israeli attack hit the central part of an air defense system at an Iranian air base in Isfahan. No casualties were reported.
Following the latest confrontation, AJA published a statement “welcoming” the Israeli attack.
"While [Iran’s] attack may have largely failed, there is no doubt that it was intended to kill thousands of innocent people,” the statement read, drawing anger from Iran's ambassador to Australia, who called AJA a “demon Zionist lobby.”
AJA’s statement further stressed the distinction between the Iranian people and the regime. It urged the international community to support the people of Iran to “overthrow the monsters who oppress them.”
“The reported Israeli attack, if we have a look at just how calculated just how precise it was, we can see that it was not intended to hurt the Iranian people at all. It was directed at the regime in such a precise way and to send such a strong message that Israel can strike where it wants to,” AJA CEO told Iran International.
“We're calling for a strong response because the nuclear weapons program of the Islamic Republic of Iran is illegal. And we think action needs to be taken,” the AJA CEO explained to Iran International.
The Australian government has been urged to take a more rigid stance against Iran amid escalating tensions with Western nations due to reported intimidation tactics and claims that it funds Hamas.
In March, the Australian government was accused of concealing the danger posed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) by withholding documents regarding the backstory to the reversal of its decision to proscribe the state-backed terrorist group.
