In a rare twist, Iran’s top diplomat sided with Netanyahu’s criticism of Australia’s prime minister—while still blasting the Israeli leader as a “war criminal.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered a fiery response on Tuesday, siding—at least briefly—with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in branding Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a “weak politician.”
The unusual overlap came after Albanese accused Tehran of orchestrating at least two antisemitic attacks in Australia, prompting Canberra to expel Iran’s ambassador, suspend its diplomatic mission in Tehran, and designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
On X, Araghchi shared a screenshot quoting Netanyahu’s earlier comments that “history will remember Albanese as a weak politician,” adding:
“I am not in the habit of joining causes with wanted War Criminals, but Netanyahu is right about one thing: Australia’s PM is indeed a ‘weak politician’.”
The Iranian minister defended his country against allegations of targeting Jews abroad, insisting: “Iran is home to among the world’s oldest Jewish communities, including dozens of synagogues. Accusing Iran of attacking such sites in Australia while we do our utmost to protect them in our own country makes zero sense.”
Yet Araghchi balanced his fleeting agreement with a sharp attack on Netanyahu, accusing Australia of bowing to Israel: “Iran is paying the price for the Australian people’s support for Palestine. Canberra should know better than to attempt to appease a regime led by War Criminals. Doing so will only embolden Netanyahu and his ilk.”
The clash underscores the widening diplomatic storm triggered by Albanese’s stance on Iran, placing Australia squarely in the middle of escalating hostilities between Tehran, Jerusalem, and the broader international community.
