Foreign Minister Winston Peters says Iran's attempts to "sow discord are completely unacceptable". Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
New Zealand has condemned Iran's 'state-sponsored attacks', but is not following Australia's lead in expelling Iran's ambassador.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today confirmed he was expelling Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi, who would be given seven days to leave the country.
Albanese claimed Iran was behind the fire attacks at Lewis' Continental Kitchen - a fast-food restaurant in Sydney - in October, and at Melbourne's Adass Synagogue in December.
He also said Australia would list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation.
The head of Australia's spy agency, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess, said his agency had uncovered links between those attacks and IRGC commanders, and the country was likely behind more attacks.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters released a statement on Tuesday saying New Zealand was gravely concerned to learn of the announcement of Iran's role in "antisemitic attacks against the Australian Jewish Community".
"New Zealand unequivocally condemns Iran's actions, including through proxies, in Gaza, the Red Sea and around the Middle East and the world. State-sponsored attacks designed to sow discord are completely unacceptable," Peters said.
"I have asked MFAT officials to convey our concerns urgently and directly to the Iranian Ambassador in Wellington."
However, he made no mention of expelling Ambassador Reza Nazar Ahari.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the expulsion of Sadeghi was Australia's first postwar expulsion of an ambassador.
No one was injured in the two attacks, but Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said that did not mean no one was harmed and it was driven by antisemitism originating in Iran.
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