The Islamic Republic of Iran's ambassador to Australia is facing backlash for posting a series of threatening tweets calling for the end to the Jewish state of Israel following the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas.
In early December, Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi called on "humanity to put an end to the heinous life of the most notorious killing machine,” referencing Israel in his post.
Sadeghi also called the Jewish state the “most notorious killer of children in the world," sharing a photograph of an alleged dead Palestinian baby while dubbing Israel as a “faucet for occupation, ethnic cleansing and a real holocaust against Palestinian civilians."
"U.S. allies and partners like Australia need to significantly curtail the permissive environment they afford Iran's ambassadors in their respective countries," said Jason Brodsky, Policy Director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI).
"Diplomatic isolation is a tool that has been underutilized, and Australia should be downgrading ties with Tehran," Brodsky added.
Sadeghi said there was "no alternative" to his suggestion for destroying Israel, stating that he hoped for the destruction of the "Israeli apartheid regime."
The Iran ambassador also shared information about events he attended with the Australian National University (ANU) students and faculty members, where they joined to "condemn the apartheid regime."
Jewish and Australian leaders expressed shock at the ambassador's statement.
Australian Senator Claire Chandler said that it was "absolutely unacceptable to have a foreign official in Australia actively promoting this evil ideology."
"This is extremely disturbing antisemitic content being actively promoted by the most senior official of the Islamic Republic of Iran regime in Australia. We know that the IRI regime has genocidal intentions towards Israel and funds terrorist groups, including Hamas, to kill and injure Jews and Israelis," Chandler added.
The Islamic Republic Embassy defended Sadeghi's comments in a statement released Friday afternoon, insisting they are "in line with Islamic Republic of Iran’s policy positions calling for Palestinians (Muslims, Jews or Christians) to define their nation's destiny via the democratic and non-violent way of one person-one vote in a referendum."
"Such diplomatic ties have not contributed to Australia's security. In fact, they threaten it with the ambassador engaging in Islamic Republic propaganda with students at Australian universities," Brodsky told The Foreign Desk.
Following the Oct. 7 massacre, the Islamic Republic of Iran has echoed its support for the attack, calling on all Muslim nations to support Hamas as they seek to eradicate Israel.
On Twitter, Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has voiced support for Hamas’s attack, claiming that the end of Israel will soon come. Despite the outcry against the Supreme Leader's call for violence, Twitter (X) has not banned Khamenei or any other Islamic Republic official that has echoed similar sentiments.
Related Story: Iran’s Supreme Leader Praises Oct. 7 Hamas Massacre
