Australian news and politics live: Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi seen departing Canberra after expulsion

Liberal Senator and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma described prescribing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as an official terrorist organisation as “overdue” but welcome.

He told Sky News on Wednesday that Iran was “in the business of exporting terror”, adding “that’s their state model”. He also called for the Albanese Government to “look at taking further action”.

“In international relation terms, this is about as serious and grave as it gets,” Senator Sharma said.

Senator Sharma said while nations should try to “preserve diplomatic ties” for “as long as you can” the revelations from ASIO showed action needed to be taken.

He added that Iran’s top diplomat to Canberra Ahmad Sadeghi previous public remarks were “at odds” with Australia society standards and claimed he was “exceeding the boundaries of his normal role”.

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Liberal Senator Jane Hume said it was “surprising” the Albanese Government took so long to expel Iran’s top diplomat to Canberra Ahmad Sadeghi and list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as an official terrorist organisation.

Speaking on Sky News on Wednesday Senator Hume said while the Coalition would back any legislation to prescribe the branch of Iran’s military, she questioned why it took until attacks on home soil.

Referring to recommendations from a Parliamentary inquiry in February 2023 and the Coalition’s calls in October 2024, she said the Government knew the risks Iran posed.

“They knew the risk was there, it was in black an white. Why the Government hasn’t acted earlier, is up to them to explain,” Ms Hume said.

Anthony Albanese says the orchestration by Iran of anti-Semitic attacks in Australia was “clearly aimed at disharmony” and an attack on the nation’s social fabric.

The Prime Minister denied Australia’s intelligence networks had failed because they hadn’t picked up the foreign interference before the attack occurred.

“In fact, this is a rather extraordinary intelligence success by ASIO and the Australian Federal Police,” he told ABC radio.

“In today’s world where things are often done on the dark web, but where you have encrypted messages, cryptocurrency as transfers, you have a complex situation here, and it’s an extraordinary effort by ASIO and the AFP to be able to trace the chain of command, if you like, right back to the IRGC through to the people who perpetrated these criminal acts.”

Iranian diplomats have fled the Canberra embassy under the cover of night in extraordinary scenes not witnessed in Australia since World War II.

The departure came just hours after Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi was expelled and several other diplomats were ordered to leave within seven days.

Photographs captured the historic moment, with cameras flashing as three men in the back seat of a car tried to conceal their faces with jackets, while another man waved goodbye on Tuesday night.

Australia’s Defence Minister has secured a last-minute meeting with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth and US Vice President JD Vance in Washington.

“The Alliance between Australia and the United States is longstanding, built on our shared history of deep collaboration,” Mr Marles captioned a photo of himself standing next to the duo.

“I was pleased to have the opportunity to reaffirm Australia’s commitment to building on this partnership with US VP JD Vance and Secretary of Defense PeteHegseth in Washington DC today.”

Their meeting follows speculation that Australian officials had been scrambling to arrange talks after a scheduling mix-up.

The US trip comes as the Pentagon conducts a review into the trilateral AUKUS pact to see if it aligns with President Donald Trump’s AMercia-first focus. Under the deal, Washington is scheduled to provideAustralia with at least three Virginia class submarines from the early 2030s.

It’s understood Mr Marles will also meet with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush has provided details about suspected gunman Dezi Freeman, who has been on the run since allegedly shooting three police officers on Tuesday, with two passing away.

“We believe he has long arms, powerful firearms. Multiple firearms. We haven’t recovered any of his firearms from the scene. So we believe the firearms he used, he is still in possession of,” he said.

When asked about the overnight search in bad weather conditions: “It was tough going for all of our people. But they’re absolutely determined and focused on finding this person,” he said.

“They are oblivious to those conditions when they have a mission.

“Our understanding of him is he understands bush craft well. Which provides a challenge for us. But we keep an absolutely open mind on what options are open to him.”

Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush is addressing the media as they continue to search for a man suspected of shooting two police dead at Porepunkah in rural Victoria.

Dezi Freeman’s partner and children were located by police overnight.

“The family are distraught, as you can imagine,” he said.

“But we’ll put every support around those good people. Our officers come to work every day to keep their communities safe. We always live with the knowledge the worst could happen. But we don’t expect it to.

“There’s two key things going on at the moment. One is the crime scene investigation. We’ll remain at that address. We’ll remain there very well armed and equipped if he’s to return.

“And we’ll continue to focus on the densely populated bush area and other dwellings in that location.”

The Coalition has welcomed the government’s decision to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation but accused Labor of acting too late.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong rejected the criticism, arguing the Albanese government had taken stronger steps against the IRGC than the Coalition did while in office.

“The IRGC has been sanctioned by Australia for many years. We took stronger action against the IRGC than (Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash) took when she was part of the Coalition government for nine years, including as attorney-general,” Ms Wong told ABC RN.

“She did not put a single new sanction on the IRGC.

“They stood by while Iran was elected to the UN body dealing with discrimination against women.

“Why we are shifting to list them now is because the action that has been taken on Australian soil is unacceptable.”

Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash has criticised the Albanese Government for not moving sooner to classify Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.

“We demanded action two and a half years ago. The Iranian community in Australia demanded action two and a half years ago. And this government did nothing,” she told Sunrise on Wednesday morning.

“You need to explain to the Australian people why. You didn’t show leadership, just sat on your hands and did nothing.”

Pressing the government to bring forward legislation immediately: “You have the resources to do this, and we will assist you in passing it,” she said.

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil dismissed the attacks as political point-scoring.

“I think that was a rude and unworthy performance from Michaelia Cash there,” she responded.

“I have a really strong view that when our country comes under aggression and violence from a foreign power that our politicians should stand together and fight back. I try to respect the work of politicians in Canberra, my personal view is that this is not the time for politics. I think it is grossly inappropriate.”

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Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says there was no evidence the individuals behind two anti-Semitic attacks in Australia were aware the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was directing them.

Mr Burke stressed he would not go beyond the statements made on Tuesday by ASIO chief Mike Burgess.

“‘Cut-outs’ is a term used in the intelligence community that refers to intermediaries who are there to effectively make sure that, as you go down the chain, people don’t realise who was higher up in the chain. That’s the nature of what ‘cut-outs’ are,” he told ABC News Breakfast.

“The language from the director-general yesterday was very deliberate. We have no reason to believe that the people who were actually conducting the actions had any idea who had started it.”