Australia summons Iranian envoy over praise for Nasrallah

Iran's ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi was summoned Friday by the Australian government for the second time in two months after a social media post praising late Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

Following Israel's announcement of Hassan Nasrallah's death in an airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs, Ahmad Sadeghi took to X, referring to him as "a great personality... and an unparalleled leader."

“However, his path in the struggle against the oppression and occupation of the criminal Zionist regime will continue to have many followers," the ambassador wrote last week.

Sadeghi was summoned to meet with Australia's Acting Secretary and Protocol Chief at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where he was “reminded of his obligation to respect Australian law and avoid interference in domestic matters,” according to The Daily Telegraph.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the opposition, and Jewish organizations condemned Sadeghi’s comments. Albanese stated, "We condemn any support for terrorist organizations like Hezbollah."

In August, Sadeghi referred to Israel as a "Zionist plague" and called for the "wiping out" of Israelis in the "holy lands of Palestine" by 2027, sparking outrage from Australia's opposition leader, Peter Dutton, who called for his immediate expulsion. Dutton said, "The comments by the Iranian ambassador are completely and utterly at odds with what is in our country’s best interest."

His remarks also led to a diplomatic rebuke from Albanese, who labeled the comments as "abhorrent, hateful, and antisemitic."

Also in December, the Australian government condemned Sadeghi after he called for "an end" to Israel, labeling it "the world’s most notorious killing machine." His comments were made following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7 last year, which led to the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis and foreigners, the worst single-day loss of life since Israel's founding in 1948. More than 240 people were also taken hostage.