Iran downgrades diplomatic ties with Australia after row over arson attacks

AL-Monitor
Sep 4, 2025
FILE PHOTO: An Iranian flag flutters outside the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, after the Iranian ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi was expelled on Tuesday and given seven days to leave the country by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who accused Iran of orchestrating at least two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil, in Canberra, Australia, August 27, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An Iranian flag flutters outside the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, after the Iranian ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi was expelled on Tuesday and given seven days to leave the country by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who accused Iran of orchestrating at least two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil, in Canberra, Australia, August 27, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo — Hollie Adams

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran has downgraded diplomatic ties with Australia, its foreign ministry said on Thursday, a week after Australia expelled the Iranian ambassador over accusations that Tehran directed two antisemitic arson attacks in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

"According to diplomatic law and in response to Australia's action, the Islamic Republic has also reciprocally reduced the level of Australia's diplomatic presence in Iran," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, adding that Canberra's ambassador had left Iran.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last week that operations at the Iranian embassy in Tehran were suspended and all Australian diplomats were safe in a third country.

Canberra's decision to expel the Iranian ambassador, its first such move since World War Two, was the latest example of a Western government accusing Iran of carrying out hostile covert activities on foreign soil.

The Islamic Republic has denied the Australian accusations.

"The accusation of antisemitism against Iran is ridiculous and baseless," Baghaei said, adding that Tehran does not welcome the deterioration in bilateral relations with Canberra.

Iranian officials said Tehran's embassy in Canberra was continuing to provide consular services.

(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; editing by Sharon Singleton and Mark Heinrich)