Iran's ambassador to Australia has been expelled after intelligence revealed the Iranian government was behind two anti-Semitic attacks in Australia.
The ambassador, as well as three other Iranian officials, have been given a week to leave the country.
Australia's also suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran, and designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist entity.
Australian correspondent Murray Olds explained further.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Murray Old's Australia correspondence with us A MS.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Very good afternoon, Heather.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
All right, so fill us in on what's happening with Iran.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Well, the ambassadors being kicked out along with we understand
two of his staff the first time. We understand this
has happened since the Second World War? And why is
this occurring? Well as oh, which is the Australian Domestic
Intelligence Agency, says Iran, via the embassy in Canberra, orchestrated
(00:27):
at least two anti Semitic attacks in Australia, both involving firebombs,
one on a Sydney bakery, a Jewish business, the other,
if you don't mind, on the Adas Synagogue in Melbourne.
And Asia is of the view that it's not the
only attacks that Iran has been orchestrating from long distance,
but via the officers of the Iranian embassy in Canberra.
(00:51):
As far as the Prime Minister's concerned, he says, it's
just the most dreadful thing you can imagine. Imagine another
government orchestrating addy Submitic attacks in a second country. So
the ambassador's going so to a number of staff and
Australia's embassy in Iran has been suspended and by the way,
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard has been able to listened as
(01:13):
a terrorist organization.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
So you know, it's it is a developing situation.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It's still I'm really interested to see what it's going
to unfold later in the in the afternoon and end
of the evening, as our television news bulletins get more
information and package it up for evening consumption, because it's
still moving and there's still lots of little bits and
pieces that I'm really interested in.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Mauss.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Any indication as to why Iran was targeting Australia in particular.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Well, we don't know at this point. I mean.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Perhaps mister Albanezi alluded to it. Heather, I'll give you
a quote. Now, Australian people don't want conflict of the
Middle East to be brought here, and he says, Iran
has sought to do just that. I've sought to harm
and terrorized Jewish Australians and so hatred and division in
our community here in Australia, and the actions of my government,
(02:05):
says Albanezi, send a clear message to all Australia. We
stand against anti Semitism, we stand against violence, and we're
not going to stand for another country like a run,
carrying out these attacks orchestrating these attacks on Australian soil.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, good stuff. Okay, Now tell me about these two
police officers killed in the shooting. What's gone down here?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Well, they were ambooks.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
According to reports that are coming out of the Victorian
High Country, there were three police executing a warrant.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
They were investigating historical sex.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Abuse allegations and they were allegedly ambushed by a fellow
who lived on this property in a bus.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
It's about three hundred kilometers northeast of Melbourne.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
For those who know the area, perhaps you've cycled up
through their hiking and you know it's a lovely, beautiful,
peaceful part of the Australian High Country. So these two
officers have been shot dead, the third one hitting the leg.
Now a huge police presence there, as you might imagine
the sound afternoon, because the government's still on the run.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
They've got police and camouflage gear.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
This is a very very difficult part of the country
to get around. It's very dense bush, very steep and
rocky terrain. We understand a little bit about the chap
they're looking for he's believed to be a self proclaimed
sovereign citizen. These are people who consider themselves to be
off the grid as far as any police, any government,
(03:26):
any normal societal involvement is concerned. They don't believe in
anything along those lines. Distrust for law, distrust for government.
He's even changed his name to reflect as sovereign status.
And apparently the two weapons that the fatally shot officers
were carrying.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Were taken from their bodies. So again another unfolding situation.
It's a hell of a mess down there.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Of course the Prime Minister you heard that clip, and
of course the Victorian Premierre also expressing just the deepest
shock and sadness.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Met what's happened?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
You're too right now, Brendan Smith is in.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
A law in trouble, isn't He could be? Could be
my word? Brandon Smith for those who don't know, he's
twenty nine years old.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
A fabulous rugby league player, played I think thirteen fourteen
times for the kiwis also played for the Maori rugby
league side, currently playing for the South Sydney Bunnies after
one hundred and forty odd games with the Storm. I
mean he's a very good player, but he's apparently it's
emerged that he's in being investigated for allegedly organizing a
(04:29):
cocaine drop for his then teammates. A bunch of them
were up on the Gold Coast on a bye weekend,
the weekend off from rugby league up there on a
golf trip and they wanted a bit of Bolivian marching
powder apparently, and Brandon Smith. The allegation is that he's
put his Adams here.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I can sort that out for you.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
So there's no suggestion any drugs were consumed or changed hands.
The suggestion is that Smith was perhaps caught on some
sort of listening device, suggesting that wouldn't be a problem
in queens It's pretty strict under Queensland law. A person
who supplies the drug, whether that in the state or not,
is guilty of a crime if they're convicted. Now, look,
(05:10):
he's had a few other issues in the past. He
made comments about a boozy culture of the Storm that
did not endear him to his teammates, and suggestions that
he was involved in taking illegal subances with the Roosters
last year in twenty twenty four season twenty four. So
there's a whole again. Another moving story he had there
lots of moving parts. We'll have to have a look
(05:30):
tonight and see how it's all been packaged up.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yep hey, thanks Mars, appreciated. Look after yourself. Murray Olds,
Australia correspondent. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen
live to news Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Murray Old's Australia correspondence with us A MS.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Very good afternoon, Heather.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
All right, so fill us in on what's happening with Iran.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Well, the ambassadors being kicked out along with we understand
two of his staff the first time. We understand this
has happened since the Second World War? And why is
this occurring? Well as oh, which is the Australian Domestic
Intelligence Agency, says Iran, via the embassy in Canberra, orchestrated
(00:27):
at least two anti Semitic attacks in Australia, both involving firebombs,
one on a Sydney bakery, a Jewish business, the other,
if you don't mind, on the Adas Synagogue in Melbourne.
And Asia is of the view that it's not the
only attacks that Iran has been orchestrating from long distance,
but via the officers of the Iranian embassy in Canberra.
(00:51):
As far as the Prime Minister's concerned, he says, it's
just the most dreadful thing you can imagine. Imagine another
government orchestrating addy Submitic attacks in a second country. So
the ambassador's going so to a number of staff and
Australia's embassy in Iran has been suspended and by the way,
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard has been able to listened as
(01:13):
a terrorist organization.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
So you know, it's it is a developing situation.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It's still I'm really interested to see what it's going
to unfold later in the in the afternoon and end
of the evening, as our television news bulletins get more
information and package it up for evening consumption, because it's
still moving and there's still lots of little bits and
pieces that I'm really interested in.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Mauss.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Any indication as to why Iran was targeting Australia in particular.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Well, we don't know at this point. I mean.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Perhaps mister Albanezi alluded to it. Heather, I'll give you
a quote. Now, Australian people don't want conflict of the
Middle East to be brought here, and he says, Iran
has sought to do just that. I've sought to harm
and terrorized Jewish Australians and so hatred and division in
our community here in Australia, and the actions of my government,
(02:05):
says Albanezi, send a clear message to all Australia. We
stand against anti Semitism, we stand against violence, and we're
not going to stand for another country like a run,
carrying out these attacks orchestrating these attacks on Australian soil.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, good stuff. Okay, Now tell me about these two
police officers killed in the shooting. What's gone down here?
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Well, they were ambooks.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
According to reports that are coming out of the Victorian
High Country, there were three police executing a warrant.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
They were investigating historical sex.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Abuse allegations and they were allegedly ambushed by a fellow
who lived on this property in a bus.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
It's about three hundred kilometers northeast of Melbourne.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
For those who know the area, perhaps you've cycled up
through their hiking and you know it's a lovely, beautiful,
peaceful part of the Australian High Country. So these two
officers have been shot dead, the third one hitting the leg.
Now a huge police presence there, as you might imagine
the sound afternoon, because the government's still on the run.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
They've got police and camouflage gear.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
This is a very very difficult part of the country
to get around. It's very dense bush, very steep and
rocky terrain. We understand a little bit about the chap
they're looking for he's believed to be a self proclaimed
sovereign citizen. These are people who consider themselves to be
off the grid as far as any police, any government,
(03:26):
any normal societal involvement is concerned. They don't believe in
anything along those lines. Distrust for law, distrust for government.
He's even changed his name to reflect as sovereign status.
And apparently the two weapons that the fatally shot officers
were carrying.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Were taken from their bodies. So again another unfolding situation.
It's a hell of a mess down there.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Of course the Prime Minister you heard that clip, and
of course the Victorian Premierre also expressing just the deepest
shock and sadness.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Met what's happened?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
You're too right now, Brendan Smith is in.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
A law in trouble, isn't He could be? Could be
my word? Brandon Smith for those who don't know, he's
twenty nine years old.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
A fabulous rugby league player, played I think thirteen fourteen
times for the kiwis also played for the Maori rugby
league side, currently playing for the South Sydney Bunnies after
one hundred and forty odd games with the Storm. I
mean he's a very good player, but he's apparently it's
emerged that he's in being investigated for allegedly organizing a
(04:29):
cocaine drop for his then teammates. A bunch of them
were up on the Gold Coast on a bye weekend,
the weekend off from rugby league up there on a
golf trip and they wanted a bit of Bolivian marching
powder apparently, and Brandon Smith. The allegation is that he's
put his Adams here.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
I can sort that out for you.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
So there's no suggestion any drugs were consumed or changed hands.
The suggestion is that Smith was perhaps caught on some
sort of listening device, suggesting that wouldn't be a problem
in queens It's pretty strict under Queensland law. A person
who supplies the drug, whether that in the state or not,
is guilty of a crime if they're convicted. Now, look,
(05:10):
he's had a few other issues in the past. He
made comments about a boozy culture of the Storm that
did not endear him to his teammates, and suggestions that
he was involved in taking illegal subances with the Roosters
last year in twenty twenty four season twenty four. So
there's a whole again. Another moving story he had there
lots of moving parts. We'll have to have a look
(05:30):
tonight and see how it's all been packaged up.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yep hey, thanks Mars, appreciated. Look after yourself. Murray Olds,
Australia correspondent. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen
live to news Talks it'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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