Yesterday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fronted a press conference, declaring Iran as the shadowy hand behind recent attacks on the Australian Jewish community.

He then declared Iran’s Ambassador and several others as persona non grata and instructed them to get out of the country within seven days.

The confirmation of Iran’s fingerprints over domestic terror is new – the suspicion is not.

Nor is anyone surprised that Australia is being targeted by foreign actors for political manipulation. Iran may not have been name-dropped in earlier ASIO reports that mentioned China and Russia, but it is the ever-present silent wingman.

ASIO Director-General, Mike Burgess, said previously:

‘Nation states are spying at unprecedented levels with unprecedented sophistication … we need to understand espionage is not some quaint, romantic fiction; it’s a real, present, and costly danger. Espionage remains one of Australia’s principal security concerns.’

We can now add to those security concerns the very real organisation of domestic events designed to spark religious war on Australian soil.

The Australian reported:

ASIO and AFP investigators have been connecting the dots, threading together a complex network of encrypted communications, cryptocurrency, and financial transactions crisscrossing the globe. This involved cracking anonymising technology, including dedicated encrypted communication devices used to co-ordinate the Iranian-backed attacks. Investigators focused on young criminals based in Australia who were actively recruited, radicalised online, and encouraged to commit antisemitic attacks.

Following some of these attacks, a dedicated antisemitism co-ordination group was set up to investigate the possibility that attacks against Jewish businesses and groups might be connected. This has led to arrests and ongoing cases.

Mr Burgess added:

‘Some of the alleged perpetrators did this because they were paid to do it. What I can say is there’s … it’s a layer cake of cut-outs between IRGC and the person or the alleged perpetrators conducting crimes.

In between, they tap into a number of people, agents of IRGC, and people that they know in the criminal world, and work through there, so it’s a series of chains.

There’s organised crime. There’s an organised crime element offshore in this. But that’s not to suggest organised crime is doing it. They’re just using cut-outs, including people who are criminals and members of organised crime gangs to do their bidding or direct their bidding in Australia.

In this year’s annual threat assessment, I warned Australia’s complex, challenging, and changing security environment is becoming more dynamic, diverse, and degraded. Dynamic, because we’re confronting an increasing number of threats. Diverse, because some nation states are using criminal proxies and are using politically motivated violence. Degraded, because authoritarian regimes are more willing to engage in reckless actions.

For the past 10 months, antisemitism has been one of ASIO’s most pressing priorities, involving the full use of its capabilities and powers.’

Chains, cake layers, cut-outs, dynamic, diverse, and degraded. Hope that clears things up.

After stressing that Iran is not involved in all antisemitic crime in Australia, Mr Burgess said:

‘Iran and its proxies lit the matches and fanned the flames.’

The Prime Minister is not nearly angry enough that an ally of Palestine, the Hamas-led state that Labor has announced its intention to officially recognise later this year, has been manipulating the social fabric of Australia through the use of fear and terror.

Labor has read the script laid out for it by Iran and, so far, continues to take a bow on the world stage.

A sensible response from the Prime Minister would be the immediate withdrawal of this intention to formally recognise Palestine as punishment.

It would be prudent to send a clear signal to Hamas and Iran that Australia will severely punish any and all attempts at domestic interference.

Iran and Palestine must both be shunned, and yet Palestine seems to have gotten off without so much as a mention.

Prime Minister, on whose interest was Iran organising these domestic events? What was their purpose?

This is what we heard earlier today:

‘Since the terrible events of October 7, 2023, we have witnessed a number of appalling antisemitic attacks against Australia’s Jewish community.

‘I’ve made it clear that these sorts of incidents have no place in Australia and that I wanted ASIO and the AFP to investigate, as a priority.

‘ASIO has now gathered enough credible intelligence to reach a deeply disturbing conclusion: that the Iranian government directed at least two of these attacks.

‘Iran has sought to disguise its involvement, but ASIO assesses it was behind the attacks on the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Sydney on October 20 last year, and the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on December 6, last year.

‘ASIO assesses it is likely Iran directed further attacks as well.

‘These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil.

‘They were attempts to undermine social cohesion and so discord in our community.

‘It is totally unacceptable and the Australian government is taking strong and decisive action in response.

‘A short time ago we informed the Iranian Ambassador to Australia that he would be expelled. We have suspended operations at our embassy in Tehran, and all our diplomats are now safe in a third country.

‘I can also announce the government will legislate to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as a terrorist organisation.

‘I’ve said many times that the Australian people want two things: they want killing in the Middle East to stop, and they don’t want conflict in the Middle East brought here. Iran has sought to do just that. They have sought to harm and terrify Jewish Australians, and to sow hatred and division in our community.

‘The actions of my government send a clear message. A message to all Australians that we stand against antisemitism, and we stand against violence. And a message to nations like Iran who seek to interfere in our country that your aggression will not be tolerated.’

These are the carefully scripted words of a weak leader.

Iran is already threatening retaliatory action, saying that they ‘absolutely reject’ the accusations levelled at them and, ‘Any inappropriate and unjustified action on a diplomatic level will have a reciprocal reaction.’

For her part, Foreign Minister Penny Wong has warned any Australians in Iran to leave.

At this point, it is fair to ask, has the government been asleep?

Days after Palestine’s terror attack on Israel, before military action was taken, we had a pro-Palestine mob at the Opera House shouting, ‘Death to the Jews!’

Years before that, Islamic terror flags, of different groups, often paraded themselves down our streets until the law was changed. After that, the flags stayed at home, but the individuals remain inside the community. We know this, because protesters have been repeatedly warned to leave their inappropriate flags at home. Not all of them followed that advice for the Sydney Harbour Bridge march. One person even cuddled up to a portrait of Iran’s leader while chants about a global intifada rang out for hours.

The Prime Minister says that Australians don’t want Middle Eastern conflict brought to Australia, and yet Labor rewards activist marches for taking over cities, intimidating communities, and disrupting the lives of Australians who want nothing to do with this foreign cause.

Even young Australians with no connection to the Middle East have been wrapped up in Palestine obsession thanks to a co-ordinated effort by the education system to effortlessly shift the mass of young outrage from climate to caliphate.

And what of the Labor government? Gifting Palestinian aid revenues with millions of dollars a few days after the bridge march is nothing if not a reward.

Labor has also gone out of its way to welcome individuals into Australia as refugees despite other countries expressing very serious concerns about security checks.

The Prime Minister talks of Iran bringing the conflict to Australia, but Iran did not fill planes with refugees. He mentions Iran terrifying the Jewish community, but Iran did not compel Australian police officers to detain peaceful individuals holding Israeli flags on Australian streets. And when it comes to sowing hatred and division within the Australian community, how much public money is being sent to activist groups that conflate Indigenous ‘Always was, always will be’ slogans with ‘From the river to the sea’, openly comparing the Australian descendants of convicts and settlers to Israel? Where is the condemnation from the Labor government on this appalling rhetoric filtering through the education system, the corporate world, and government departments?

The replies to the Prime Minister have been swift and sharp.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley did not require a listening tour or focus group. She replied:

‘Today we have learnt of one of the most egregious acts of foreign interference against our nation since the darkest days of the Cold War.

‘All Australians are shocked to learn of the serious and chilling foreign interference which has been perpetuated by the Islamic Republic of Iran on Australian soil.

‘The Coalition supports the expulsion of the Iranian Ambassador and the listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

‘As the Director General of Security has explained today, the Iranian government has been confirmed as having directed at least two attacks against Australia’s Jewish community, including the fire-bombing of the Addas Israel Synagogue.

‘Australians rightly expect zero tolerance for foreign-backed terror and antisemitic violence on our soil.

‘These revelations lay bare just how severe Australia’s antisemitism crisis has become.

‘The Coalition has been urging the government to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation for more than two years and we will back any legislative changes needed to get it done.

‘Our Jewish community deserves safety, not excuses; this must be the start of a broader crackdown on Iranian regime proxies, foreign interference, and intimidation in Australia.’

Senator Claire Chandler from Tasmania added:

‘The Senate inquiry into Iran, which I chaired, recommended in February 2023 that the IRGC should be listed as a terrorist organisation. The Coalition called for the expulsion of the Iranian Ambassador in October 2024 … it shouldn’t have taken until now for the Australian government to act. The Iranian diaspora in Australia has tirelessly and courageously advocated for many years to expose the brutality of the IRI regime.’

Josh Frydenberg, the former Treasurer, wrote on X:

‘It has taken two years, but Australia is finally fighting back against terrorism and extremism.

‘Confirmation of Iran’s involvement in antisemitic attacks on our home soil should unnerve every Australian, and shame those who sought to downplay the significant and severity of those attacks.

‘The expulsion of Iran’s Ambassador must be the start of an [sic] even stronger efforts to expose and punish those responsible for the explosion of violent Jew-hate which has become normalised in Australia.

‘Our sovereignty and security depends on it.’

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price added:

‘Foreign interference in Australia is a crime. It cannot be tolerated in any form. The Iranian regime’s interference in our nation was intended to strike fear into – and harm – a segment of our population: Australians of Jewish faith.

‘The hard-working personnel in our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are to be applauded for their investigative work that has led to the discovery of the Iranian regime’s appalling acts of foreign interference.

‘Iran is a totalitarian state run by the odious revolutionary and antisemitic Iranian regime. The regime oppresses its own people. The regime funds terrorists to commit the most barbaric acts – and has funded Hamas with hundreds of millions of dollars. The regime is committed to the destruction of Israel. Put simply, the Iranian regime is the embodiment of evil and abomination.

‘While the government’s decisions today are welcome, let’s not forget that the crisis of antisemitism afflicting our nation started with the Albanese government’s supine response to the sordid scenes on the steps of the Sydney Opera House on October 9, 2023.

‘As recently as August 3, some pro-Palestinian protesters gleefully carried a photo of Iran’s oppressive dictator during the rally across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in what the Prime Minister described as a peaceful demonstration.

‘The crisis of antisemitism in Australia – one where terrorists and despots have been celebrated – is a crisis fuelled by the Albanese government’s inaction and moral confusion. Australians deserve a government that stands much firmer against antisemitism, foreign interference, and terrorism in all its forms.’

Former Liberal and now Libertarian Craig Kelly wanted to know if those politicians who marched in front of photos of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would like to offer an apology, even if they were unaware of the portrait at the time. He added:

‘And how can Australia continue to pursue multiculturalism when that enables people who have migrate [sic] to Australia to reject assimilation and Australian values, and instead cheer for Iran dictators?’

Teal MP Monique Ryan wrote:

‘It is deeply concerning to see evidence of the Iranian government’s involvement in antisemitic attacks in Australia. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has long promoted terrorism globally. I first urged the Australian government to designate it as a terrorist organisation in October 2022.’

Despite all these strong words, it seems obvious to most that antisemitism in Australia goes far deeper than Iran stirring up migrant communities. To borrow from ASIO’s earlier statement, you can’t light a match if it isn’t there.