SIMON BIRMINGHAM: It’s time Anthony Albanese told vile Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi to pack his bags

Iran is a country rich in Persian beauty, heritage and culture. It is also ruled by cruel, divisive, anti-Semitic warmongers, who would love to spread their hate into Australia and other democratic nations.

The brutal, theocratic leadership of Iran is a problem for the world and a tragedy for the Iranian people.

Through a series of proxies, Iran’s Supreme Leader and his mullahs have positioned the nation as one of the top disruptors in today’s world. They spread death, destruction and economic chaos while oppressing their own people.

Think of terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah or Houthis and you will find tentacles linking back to Iranian funding, arming, intelligence and protection.

Many thousands have lost their lives at the hands of these Iranian-sponsored terrorists and millions have suffered as a result.

This week, we’ve been reminded once again that Iran wants to sow that discord in our own nation. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ambassador to Australia, Ahmad Sadeghi, described the “wiping out of the Zionist plague” as “a desirable happening”, a “brilliant prospect” and “a heavenly and divine promise”.

Put simply, he was cheering on the genocide of Jews in Israel, from the comfort of his embassy in Canberra, on his official platform as an ambassador in Australia.

This is not isolated but is consistent with the conduct of the Iranian embassy in Australia. Ambassador Sadeghi also described the recent death of a Hamas terrorist leader responsible for so much of the current bloodshed in Gaza as “sad and tragic”.

Back in December last year, he called for “humanity to put an end” to Israel. At the time, the Albanese Government condemned the remarks and said they expect “all diplomats in Australia to be respectful and constructive in the way they engage in Australia”.

Having so comprehensively thumbed his nose at these expectations of the Albanese Government, why is Labor’s response to Iran’s latest abhorrent transgressions largely identical to their first tepid warning?

If the initial response didn’t yield change, and the consequences of subsequent breaches of standards don’t involve an escalation in the Government’s response, then how can anyone expect anything but more of the same from Iran’s ambassador?

If not for his diplomatic immunity the Iranian Ambassador’s anti-Semitic, divisive and inflammatory remarks could well be in breach of hate speech laws in Australia. Such flagrant disregard for Australian standards warrants a far stronger response by the Albanese Government.

To stop the spread of hate in our country and to demonstrate that we genuinely stand by our values, Ambassador Sadeghi should be packing his bags for Tehran.

Iran’s spreading in Australia of such racially and religiously motivated hatred takes on even greater degrees of concern this week when the risk of a terrorist attack in our country has officially escalated.

To lower the risk we need to lower the domestic division and discord. Iran seeks to do the opposite.

The threat Iran poses in Australia isn’t just via inciteful words either. Australians of Iranian background report being spied upon, intimidated and harassed by agents of the Islamic Republic.

This came as they voiced their despair following the brutal execution of young Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, simply for not covering her head.

Little wonder then that the Australian Iranian Community Alliance identifies the embassy as a factor in “the very real threats posed by extremist elements within our borders”. They have described the Albanese Government’s response as one of “alarming complacency”.

These Australians of proud Iranian heritage not only support the expulsion of the Iranian Ambassador but consistently urge the designation under Australian law of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.

Early last year, well before the Hamas attacks of October 7, an Australian Senate committee chaired by my colleague Claire Chandler recommended this action against Iran’s coordinators in chief of their terrorist activities. Canada has done so, as did the United States. The new Labour government in the United Kingdom says it will too.

It is well beyond time for the Albanese Government to act and list the IRGC as a terrorist organisation. The IRGC speak like terrorists, collaborates with terrorists, coordinates terrorists and acts like terrorists. If our laws need changing to undertake such listing then they should be changed ASAP.

But even easier than changing Australian laws, the Albanese Government can and should act today to declare Iran’s ambassador in Australia “persona non grata”. Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations allows such action at any time, without the need for any explanation.

Ambassador Sadeghi’s actions have no place in Australia and it’s clear that he shouldn’t either. The abhorrent hate he’s spread should make him unwelcome in our country and Anthony Albanese should have the please leave message delivered forthwith.

Simon Birmingham is the shadow foreign minister