TLDR
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess refused to rule out Iran attempting to kill prominent Jewish Australians on home soil, telling Jewish community leaders he has grave concerns it could happen. The warning follows Iran's Revolutionary Guard directing two arson attacks on Jewish sites in late 2024, which led Australia to expel Iran's ambassador and three diplomats in August 2025.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said on 18 September 2026 that he would not rule out Iran attempting to kill prominent Jewish Australians on Australian soil, and has already briefed certain Jewish leaders on that risk.[1]
Burgess said he has grave concerns that Iran will attempt to kill prominent Jewish Australians one day in Australia. Burgess attributed the threat to Iranian ideology, not to anything specific to Australia.
"Again, there's no immediate threat that we're investigating but we do have that concern. And it's not because of Australia, it's because of their hatred of Jews," Burgess said.[1]
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, using criminal proxies, directed an arson attack on the Lewis' Continental Kitchen in Sydney on 20 October 2024 and a second attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on 6 December 2024.[2]
Australia responded on 26 August 2025, declaring Iran's ambassador and three additional Iranian diplomats persona non grata and expelling them within seven days.[2] Australia also suspended operations at its embassy in Tehran, withdrawing all diplomatic staff to a third country.
Burgess said antisemitism has been one of ASIO's most pressing priorities for the past ten months.[3]
The government moved simultaneously to list the IRGC as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code, though no date for that listing to take effect has been confirmed publicly.[2]
SOURCES & CITATIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is there an active threat against Jewish Australians from Iran right now?
What attacks did Iran direct on Australian soil?
What did Australia do in response to the Iranian-directed attacks?
Caleb Reed covers breaking news and sport. He works to the rhythm of a story as it unfolds, and he is happiest when the facts arrive faster than anyone can spin them.
