Canberra’s unprecedented step signals growing international isolation of the Iran regime
Australia on Thursday formally designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “state supporter of terrorism,” marking one of the most consequential diplomatic steps taken against the Iran regime in recent years. The announcement by Foreign Minister Penny Wong followed intelligence assessments showing that the IRGC directly planned and directed attacks against Australia’s Jewish community.
Wong stated that the findings revealed unprecedented and dangerous acts of aggression by a foreign government on Australian soil, stressing that the IRGC has no place in Australia. She added that the Albanese government had taken the strongest measures against the Iran regime in Australia’s history and would continue to prioritize public safety.
The decision came months after Canberra accused the Iran regime of orchestrating two anti-Jewish arson attacks in Sydney and Melbourne during 2024. In response, Australia expelled the regime’s ambassador — the first expulsion of a foreign ambassador since World War II — and closed its embassy in Tehran while recalling its own diplomats.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke described the designation of the IRGC as a direct response to the appalling actions of the Iranian government. He explained that the new status empowers police and intelligence agencies to counter hatred and violence more effectively, emphasizing that every Australian deserves to feel safe and accepted.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the government acted swiftly to strengthen counterterrorism legislation, enabling foreign state entities to be listed as terrorism supporters. She insisted that these reforms increase the cost and risks for hostile foreign actors attempting to harm Australia.
The United States was the first to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization in 2019 during the Trump administration, and similar efforts are underway in the United Kingdom.
In its statement, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that ASIO assessments identified IRGC planning behind two attacks: the October 2024 arson of “Lewis Continental Kitchen” in Sydney and the December 2024 arson of the “Adas Israel” synagogue in Melbourne. These attacks were designed to instill fear, target Australia’s Jewish community and sow division within the country’s multicultural society.
In response to these findings, Australia passed the 2025 Criminal Code Amendment (State Supporters of Terrorism) Act, creating a new legal framework to address state-directed terrorism. The IRGC is the first entity listed under this framework as a state supporter of terrorism.
The Home Affairs Minister determined that the IRGC met all criteria required for listing under Section 110 of the Criminal Code, based on assessments from Australia’s intelligence and security agencies. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, this designation strengthens deterrence, disrupts terrorist activities and provides public warning that interactions with the IRGC now carry criminal consequences under Australian law.
The department further warned that under Section 5.3E of the Criminal Code, activities including directing operations, participating in activities, membership, communication, recruitment, training, or providing or receiving funds or support linked to a state supporter of terrorism constitute criminal offenses and are punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
