Australia's Criminal Code Bars Listing IRGC as Terrorist Organization, Official Says

The terrorist organization framework within Australia’s Criminal Code does not allow for the listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), an Australian official told Iran International.

“The Australian Government has used the tools available to it to take meaningful action against the IRGC, including through the imposition of targeted financial sanctions,” an Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman told Iran International's Alireza Mohebbi.

“The Government has sanctioned more than 80 IRGC-linked individuals and entities since Iran’s violent suppression of protests in September 2022, including the Commander of the IRGC Quds Force and the IRGC Navy,” the official further explained.

Following Canada's government decision on Wednesday, Australia is facing increasing pressure to follow suit as Australian senators and rights groups have rebuked their government's reluctance to take similar action.

"The Canadian Government's decisive action contrasts sharply with the inaction of the Albanese Government, which has failed to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization in Australia," read a joint statement by lawmakers Claire Chandler, Simon Birmingham, and James Paterson.

Australian-Iranian rights group Ausiran urged Foreign Minister Penny Wong to acknowledge IRGC's role in terrorism, citing threats to global security and Australian citizens.

"Ausiran calls on the Government to prioritize Australian citizens' safety and global peace by joining allies in designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization," the letter emphasized.

The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) reiterated its call for IRGC designation, citing its global terrorist activities, including recent plots against Jewish and Israeli targets.

"The IRGC is the largest sponsor and facilitator of terrorism worldwide, impacting victims from Yemen to Ukraine. They coordinate hostility against Israel," stated AJA CEO Robert Gregory. "Their actions result in casualties among our allies, including US soldiers in the Middle East, while they oppress and imprison the Iranian people."

Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a former detainee in Iran, also joined the call for Australia to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, asserting, "Australia has no more excuses." She argued that since the US and Canada have taken such steps, Australia should follow suit to address the plight of "thousands of Iranian Australians and other victims of IRGC terror."

Moore-Gilbert was arrested by the IRGC in 2018 and sentenced on espionage charges before being released in a 2020 prisoner exchange.