Iran condemns Australia's listing of IRGC as sponsor of terrorism as 'offensive and unjustified'

The Iranian Government has condemned Australia's formal listing of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism as "offensive and unjustified", accusing the Albanese government of doing Israel's bidding.

In August Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and ASIO chief Mike Burgess revealed Iran was behind at least two antisemitic attacks in Australia.

Iran's Ambassador was kicked out of the country days later — the first diplomatic expulsion since World War Two — and legislation passed the parliament earlier this month allowing the government to designate the IRGC as a state sponsor of terrorism.

That happened on Thursday, with the IRGC becoming the first organisation to be listed under the new regime.

It prompted a sharp rebuke from Iran's foreign ministry in Tehran which labelled it "illegal, unjustifiable, and in violation of international rules and norms that safeguard a state's sovereignty."

"[Iran is] expressing its disgust at the compliance of certain Australian policymakers with the malicious policy of the genocidal Israeli regime in spreading lies against Iran," a statement said.

"This irresponsible action is a continuation of the Australian government's grave mistake on the basis of baseless accusations fabricated by the security agencies of the Zionist regime, which has turned the long-standing diplomatic relations between Iran and Australia into a bargaining chip in appeasing the occupying Zionist regime."

Hours after Mr Albanese and Mr Burgess revealed the Australian intelligence about Iranian involvement in the attacks, the Israeli government took credit for forcing Australia to act.

Although Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke rejected that claim, saying it was "complete nonsense."

In recent weeks, the Israeli spy agency Mossad took the unusual step of issuing a public statement detailing allegations about a senior member of the IRGC who was responsible for fuelling antisemitic attacks around the world, including in Australia.

The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasises that this political decision by the Australian government sets a dangerous and criminal precedent which has been influenced by the Zionist regime to divert global attention from the ongoing genocide in Gaza," the foreign ministry said.

"Therefore, it amounts to complicity between the players of this action and the criminals who are under investigation by the International Criminal Court."

That was a reference to the ICC arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes.

Listing 'an important deterrent'

On Thursday, the Australian government publicised its listing of the IRGC in response to the attacks on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne and the Lewis' Continental Kitchen in Sydney in 2024.

"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," a statement from Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said.

"Listing the IRGC is an important deterrent and disruption to terrorist activity, and puts members of the public on notice that the IRGC is a state sponsor of terrorism under Australian law, and certain dealings with them are now criminal offences."

Tasmanian Liberal Senator Clair Chandler was the chair of a Senate committee which recommended listing the IRGC as a terror organisation three years ago.

"A long overdue but welcome action to hold this heinous entity to account, and a testament to the incredible advocacy of our Iranian diaspora in demanding this from government," the now shadow cybersecurity minister posted on X.

She earlier said the Albanese Government had been given enough evidence by Australian intelligence agencies to list the IRGC as a terror organisation, and claimed it had delayed doing so.