Natalie Barr, Host: For the first time since the Second World War, a foreign ambassador is set to be expelled from Canberra after Australia's spy agency revealed the Iranian Government was behind two antisemitic attacks on our shores.
Matt Shirvington HOST: The Prime Minister has labelled these attacks extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression, while ASIO chief Mike Burgess warned Iran's government may be linked to many more as well. For more, we are joined by Foreign Minister Penny Wong live in Canberra. Great to have you with us. So, expelling the ambassador, historic move. What sort of a message are you trying to send Iran?
Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Look, we took from the ASIO assessment a very clear understanding. That is, we have a foreign government who was working to engage in and orchestrate violent attacks on Australians, on Australian soil. Unacceptable. And so we have made an unprecedented decision which is to expel an ambassador for the first time since World War II. Now we retain diplomatic relations with a lot of countries who we don't agree with, we do it for our interests and also because of Australians in those countries as well as the capacity to engage with them. But this crossed a line and that is why we've taken this unprecedented decision. We've also suspended our operations in Tehran and removed Australian personnel there.
Barr: Minister, earlier on Sunrise, Shadow Foreign Minister, Michaelia Cash, said the government should have acted earlier. Take a listen to this.
Audio of Senator Michaelia Cash: Penny Wong, Mark Dreyfus, Claire O'Neil, you were warned. The Coalition, the Iranian community here in Australia told you. This is the letter. You said no, you have some serious explaining to do today.
BARR: So, she says the Coalition wrote to you guys over a year ago and said you should dismiss the Ambassador. Basically, you should list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard as a terror organisation, then. What's your response?
Foreign Minister: Well, I know that Senator Cash does default to angry voice very often. I'd like to go through our response very clearly. First, in relation to the IRGC, they are already sanctioned. I have put more sanctions on them. In fact, we have put more sanctions and taken more decisive action, stronger action against Iran than ever occurred while she was Attorney-General or while the government of which she was a part was in government. So, that's the first point. The second, in relation to the Ambassador, yes, he has made antisemitic remarks which are unacceptable and we dealt with that. The reason we have expelled him now is because the Iranian regime has crossed a line. The Iranian regime has crossed a line and that is why we are taking the unprecedented action we are taking.
Shirvington: Minister, what's the threat like now? And by expelling the Ambassador, does that make us more of a target?
Foreign Minister: Look, we will always act to assure Australians' safety. And we have very effective law enforcement personnel, intelligence agencies, security agencies, who are working day and night to keep Australians safe. And I want to thank them for their work. The fact that we have uncovered this, the fact that ASIO, with the AFP and others, have uncovered this and provided that assessment to government should give Australians continued confidence in our security agencies. Obviously, the investigations continue, the law enforcement efforts continue. The Director-General made that clear yesterday. He also made clear that it's possible that the Iranian regime is linked to other attacks. We will continue to ensure that we take action against these actors. We want all Australians to be safe and feel safe. And we particularly are thinking of Jewish Australians today, for whom obviously these attacks were so traumatic.
Barr: Does this mean relations with Iran are effectively over, or is there still room for diplomacy?
Foreign Minister: Look, that's a very good question and it's very challenging in these circumstances, given what has happened. And certainly we've had an embassy in Iran and a diplomatic relationship since 1968. We've retained some working-level diplomats, Iranian diplomats in Australia. That is, we've allowed them to retain them. We want to do that because there's obviously still, you know, consular issues that we have to deal with, Iranian Australians who are either in Iran or in Australia. But we're obviously in a very challenging place in the diplomatic relationship. We'll continue to act professionally, but the message is very clear to Iran: you crossed a line, we cannot countenance it – this is why we're taking the action we're taking.
Shirvington: Okay Foreign Minister Penny Wong, thanks for your time.
Foreign Minister: Thank you.