Iran hits out at ‘insulting’ blacklisting by Australia

Iran has condemned Australia’s “humiliating” move to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a state sponsor of terrorism.

The Albanian government announced its decision on Thursday, following earlier intelligence indicating that the Iranian group was linked to last year’s anti-Semitic attacks through criminal proxies.

In October 2024, a delicatessen in Sydney was set on fire, while in late December the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne was firebombed.

Iran’s foreign ministry called the listing an “unfair and humiliating act” in a statement shared on its Telegram channel.

“This irresponsible action is in line with the gross mistake committed by the Australian government based on completely unfounded and fabricated accusations from the security agencies of the Zionist regime (Israel),” the statement said.

Announcing its decision, Labor criticized Iran for “cowardly” attacks that it said were designed to “undermine and sow division” in Australia’s multicultural society, with the aim of causing harm and fear by targeting the Jewish community.

Under the new legal framework that allows the government to intervene against state-sponsored terrorism, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was first on the list.

Associations with the group are now criminalized and violators can face up to 25 years in prison.

In August, the government expelled Iran’s ambassador, Ahmed Sadeghi, in response to credible intelligence provided by the Australian Security Intelligence Agency that identified the group as being behind two terrorist attacks.

Jewish groups praised the listing as a “necessary step” to ensure terrorism has no place on Australian soil.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was established to protect the Iranian regime.