Photo: CFP

 
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on Tuesday denounced Australia's decision to expel Iran's ambassador, rejecting anti-Semitism allegations as baseless and warning that any improper diplomatic action will be met with a reciprocal response, Tasnim News Agency (TNA) reported.

"These allegations are absolutely invalid, and the concept of anti-Semitism has no place in our religion. It is a concept fabricated by the Westerners, and they themselves should account for their historical record," Baqaei said. 

According TNA, Baqaei said Australia's decision appears to have been influenced by domestic developments, pointing to recent massive protests in that country over the situation in Gaza.

Baqaei's comments came after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Iran of directing at least two anti-Jewish attacks in his country and announced plans to expel Iran's ambassador in Canberra. Albanese announced the suspension of his country's embassy activities in Tehran and relocated its diplomats to a third country, per Mehr News Agency.

The Iranian ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi, and three other diplomatic staff have been given seven days to leave the country, Albanese said. It's the first time Australia has expelled a foreign ambassador since the Second World War, CNN reported.

Global Times