The President of the EAJC commented on the exposure of Iranian terror in Australia

On August 26, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the country's Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has acquired evidence of Iran's direct involvement in terrorist attacks targeting the Australian Jewish community. This concerns the attacks committed in 2024 against the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne and the Lewis’ Continental Kitchen restaurant in Sydney. In response, Australia has decided to expel the Iranian Ambassador and recall its own head of mission from Tehran.

The Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) welcomes these vital measures to expose Iranian-sponsored terror and expresses its gratitude to the Australian security services for uncovering the crimes. However, it is imperative to emphasize that crimes of the nature witnessed in Sydney and Melbourne were preceded by a climate of verbal incitement fueling blatant anti-Israel sentiment.

EAJC President Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili stated:

“We emphasize that the rhetoric of public officials must be extremely cautious, and any manifestations of hatred must be prosecuted immediately to the full extent of the law. Irresponsible rhetoric and a sense of impunity allow extremist ideologies to gather strength. In this instance, this climate facilitated the entrenchment of Iranian terrorist operations within Australian society. Consequently, we are faced with deplorable outcomes: the Jewish community of Australia has become a target of terrorists operating under instructions from the Iranian regime on the soil of an independent foreign nation.

Throughout recent years, we have consistently warned of the very fine line between legitimate criticism of a state and anti-Zionism—a form of antisemitism that harms Jewish communities globally. This issue cannot be dismissed; it demands a strategic solution at the highest state level. This case exemplifies that this is not merely a challenge for the Jewish community, but primarily for the state itself where such events transpire.

Furthermore, we warn the nations of our region: the Iranian regime remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism globally and the primary threat to regional and global stability. In its fanatic pursuit of destroying the State of Israel, this regime spares no methods, and the victims of its terror can include citizens of countries situated far from the Middle East.

We deeply regret that members of the Australian Jewish community have suffered due to Iran's actions. We sincerely hope that all organizers and perpetrators of these crimes will be brought to justice, and that the Australian authorities will dedicate appropriate attention to addressing antisemitism.”