TEHRAN – The Australian ambassador has left Tehran after Canberra ordered Iranian envoys and several diplomats to leave Australia, urging the Islamic Republic to downgrade Australia’s diplomatic status in Iran in each other’s moves, the Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.
Esmaeir Baghhai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the decision followed standard diplomatic norms and international law, but Tehran saw the move as unfair.
“We do not welcome the reduction in relations because we believe this action has no reason or justification, and that will affect the ties between the two countries,” Baghhai told reporters.
He confirmed that the Australian ambassador has left Iran, but noted that the Iranian consul division in Canberra continues to work to provide services to Australian Iranian citizens.
Baghey also dismissed the Australian Prime Minister’s claim on August 25 that Iran was behind two so-called anti-Semitic attacks in Australia as “silly and unfounded.” Albanese subsequently announced the ouster of Iranian envoy Ahmad Sadegi, a halt of Australia’s embassy operations in Tehran, urging Australians living in Iran to leave immediately.
An Iranian spokesman rejected the charges entirely, emphasizing that anti-Semitism does not exist in Iran’s cultural, historical or religious traditions. “This phenomenon is a Western and European phenomenon,” he said. “If you look at history, because their religion is rooted in Europe, it is them who must be held responsible for the persecution of Jews in the past.”
Baghaei further argued that Canberra’s decision was intended to justify its anti-Iranian stance and compensate for the recent limited criticism of Israel expressed by Australian politicians, including Albanese.
This line comes amid the wider diplomatic conflict between Australia and Israel. Last month, Albanese announced that Australia would formally recognize the Palestinian state and cancel the visa for visiting Israeli ministers. In response, Israel cancelled the visa for Australian diplomats, who were certified by Palestinian authorities, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded Albanese as a “weak leader.”
Australia’s Home Minister Tony Burke said the true strength was “not measured by how many people can blow up or the number of children who can leave them hungry,” explaining Netanyahu’s attack as part of the Israeli “rushout.”