Australia Denounces Iranian Threats To Its Citizens

Australia says it will not tolerate Iran’s attempts to suppress dissent abroad amid threats by regime officials to Australian citizens.

In a statement communicated to Iran International, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs emphasized that “Australia does not tolerate, under any circumstances, attempts by foreign regimes to disrupt peaceful protests, or to try to push violence or suppress specific views from being expressed.”

“Nor will we tolerate hostile acts in the form of surveillance, harassment or intimidation against individuals or family members here in Australia. Australia’s foreign interference laws are unequivocal, and allegations of foreign interference are investigated and, if substantiated, will be prosecuted.”

According to an Iranian-Australian user on the X network, the account linked to Ahmad Sadeghi, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic to Australia, sent a private message to the user on February 4.

In the message, the user was allegedly identified and instructed to remove negative comments. The user asserted that the message was prompted by their post regarding a gathering at the Australian National University involving students and faculty members.

The development comes after Clare O'Neil, Australia's Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, disclosed the thwarting of an Iranian government intervention scheme by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization in late 2022.

O'Neil revealed that the Islamic Republic had conducted extensive investigations into an Iranian-Australian citizen and their family residing in Australia.

Ahmad Sadeghi, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic to Australia, refuted O'Neil's comments of Iranian government espionage against dissidents in Australia during an interview with the Financial Review on January 10th.