From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Aussie PM slams Iranian ambassador over social media call to ‘wipe out the Zionist plague’
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemns as “abhorrent” an Iranian ambassador’s social media comment on Israel.
Albanese says Ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi has been called in for a meeting with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials over his recent post on the social media platform X.
Sadeghi cited the Hamas terror group’s spiritual leader Ahmed Yassin advocating that “wiping out the Zionist plague out of the holy lands of Palestine happens no later than 2027.” Sadeghi added: “Looking forward to such a heavenly & divine promise Inshaa-Allah.” The Arabic expression means “if God wills.”
Albanese tells reporters: “I make it clear: There’s no place for the sort of comments that were made online on social media by the Iranian ambassador.”
“They’re abhorrent. And they are hateful, they are antisemitic and they have no place,” Albanese adds.
Asked by a reporter if the ambassador should be expelled from Australia, Albanese does not directly answer.
The Iranian Embassy in Australia does not immediately respond to a request for comment.
