Australia lists Iran's IRGC as state sponsor of terrorism

Canberra accuses powerful branch of Tehran's military of orchestrating attacks against Jewish community

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force Museum in Tehran. Reuters

Australia has listed Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a state sponsor of terrorism, its Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday, after an intelligence assessment that it orchestrated an attack on the country's Jewish community last year.

“The government committed to taking this step following Australian Security Intelligence Organisation‘s assessment that the IRGC had orchestrated attacks against Australia's Jewish community,” the government said.

In August, Australia accused Iran of directing two anti-Semitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

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The country's domestic spy agency, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, said the IRGC used a “complex web of proxies” to carry out the attacks.

“These cowardly attacks on Australian soil were designed to undermine and sow division in our multicultural society, by targeting Jewish Australians to inflict harm and stoke fear,” the agency said.

After the attacks, Australia expelled Tehran's ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi, its first such act since the Second World War.

Iran rejected the accusation and vowed reciprocal action. “The accusation that has been made is absolutely rejected,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said. “Any inappropriate and unjustified action on a diplomatic level will have a reciprocal reaction”.

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the listing “was in direct response to the despicable actions of the Iranian government”, and would further empower police, security and intelligence agencies to “stamp out hatred and violence”.

“All Australians deserve to feel safe, welcome and at home; it is this view that underpinned the legislative changes which have enabled the listing of the IRGC,” he said.

It is the first time the Australian government has listed a foreign state entity under its federal terrorism framework.

The IRGC has been listed as terrorist organisation by the US since 2019.

Since the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza, Australian homes, schools, synagogues and vehicles have been the target of vandalism and arson. In October last year, there was an arson attack on the Lewis Continental Kitchen, a kosher takeaway and catering business in Bondi, Sydney.

The expulsion of Mr Sadeghi came amid a growing rift between Australia and Israel, after Canberra announced it would recognise a Palestinian state.

Australia officially recognised Palestinian as an independent state at the UN General Assembly in September. It followed the UK, France and Canada.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said its recognition alongside Canada’s and the UK’s was part of an international effort to push for a two-state solution.

Mr Albanese said that the decision was meant to revive momentum for a two-state solution.

But the statement reiterated that Hamas must have “no role in Palestine”.