Iran urges Australia to ‘stand on right side of history’ instead of appeasing Israel

TEHRAN (Iran News) Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has emphasized that Australia should rely on the will of its people and stand on the right side of history instead of appeasing the Israeli regime.

Baghaei expressed his views in an interview with Australia’s Channel 9 on September 3 regarding the Iranian ambassador’s expulsion from Australia, genocide in Gaza, and the imposed 12-day Israeli war against Iran.

He said, “This is regrettable. We believe the Australian government’s action was unjustified. We value our relations with Australia, and the decision to downgrade our diplomatic relations was unexpected.”

He emphasized, “Fundamentally, antisemitism has no place in our culture, history, or religion. The history of Iran’s coexistence with Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians needs no elaboration from me or any other official. You can visit our synagogues in Tehran and other cities without needing to pass through an X-ray machine because our Jewish community feels safe here.”

Baghaei further highlighted, “Do not forget that we are at war with Israel. They attacked us and have waged a war of aggression against the Iranians. Despite this, can you name a single instance of assault—verbal or otherwise—against our Jewish compatriots? This demonstrates that Iranians, with their rich history, have learned to coexist peacefully with all religions. Therefore, we categorically reject any notion of antisemitism; it has no place in Iran’s history, religion, or political approach.”

He also acknowledged the sentiments of the Australian public, saying, “We all know that the people of Australia are upset and angry about the genocide in Palestine. Over the past month, people in Melbourne, Sydney, and other cities have taken to the streets to protest the crimes committed in the Palestinian territories. Naturally, the Israeli regime did not appreciate this. They accused the Australian Prime Minister of being weak and gave him until September 23rd to take action against antisemitism. I believe some individuals in the Australian government opted for an easy way to please or appease Benjamin Netanyahu, which led to accusations against Iran for antisemitism.”

Regarding the arson attacks on a Melbourne synagogue and a restaurant, Baghaei commented, “I think this is the same synagogue that is generally known for opposing Israeli policies. These are the same Jews who oppose Israel’s genocidal policies in the Palestinian territories. Why would Iran decide to attack this synagogue? This [accusation] is absurd. Secondly, I think it’s the same Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) that in 2003 tried to fabricate intelligence in a similar way to justify claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.”

He added, “The responsibility of diplomats and the Foreign Ministry is to engage with other countries to foster friendly ties between our peoples. People-to-people relations are very important to us.”

Baghaei emphasized, “We have very dynamic relations with our neighbors. Consider the situation following the attack on Iran by Israel and the United States—this was an act of aggression condemned by our friends in the region and around the world. We also have very good relations with other countries and are eager to develop our relations based on mutual respect and mutual interests with any country in the world.”

“In the last 200 years, as a nation with a rich civilizational heritage and history, we have not invaded any other country. Just look at our history,” he said.

Baghaei said, “The core issue with the Israeli regime stems from its formation, conduct, and policies, which are rooted in the occupation of another nation’s land. Just look at the events of the last two years—I’m not even speaking about the last eight decades. Consider what they have inflicted upon the Palestinians and the region! Is it Iran that has occupied the lands of two other countries? Is it Iran that bombards Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and other nations daily? Did Iran initiate an attack on Israel? Or is it Israel that is the aggressor?””Australia”

“It is crucial for Western public opinion to understand the realities. The fact is that the Israeli regime has occupied Palestinian land and committed grave crimes against the Palestinian people. They have explicitly stated that a Palestinian government has no place in their mindset. They speak of a Greater Israel, which implies their intent to occupy territories belonging to many neighboring countries,” he added.

Regarding the damage Iran incurred during the recent 12-day attacks, Baghaei said, “This is a very complex and technical issue. While there was certainly damage, rather than focusing on the extent of that damage, the public and mainstream media should be concerned about the repercussions of such a blatant violation of international law and the pride taken by the United States and the Israeli regime in these illegal actions against Iran.”

He emphasized, “Our Atomic Energy Organization is still assessing the extent of the damage to our facilities. However, I believe that the US President’s admission of their attack signifies an open confession to the criminal acts they have committed against Iran. This further heightens their international responsibility for this wrongful act, as they are aware that what they did was unjust and illegal, yet they boast about attacking our country. It is shameful.”

In response to the comment that France, Germany, and Britain (the E3) plan to impose strict sanctions on Iran unless Tehran discloses the location of its nuclear materials, Baghaei said, “This is yet another example of an illogical demand. All three countries you mentioned were part of the nuclear deal with Iran. That agreement, which is annexed to a consensus UN Security Council resolution, is still in effect. Nevertheless, instead of criticizing Israel and the United States for their blatant violation of a UN Security Council resolution, they are pressuring Iran regarding the ambiguity surrounding the location of these [enriched] materials. Our materials were in the same location that was illegally attacked by the United States and the Israeli regime.”

“These countries—Germany, France, and Britain—should have acted responsibly as independent governments. They should have condemned such attacks instead of asking Iran about the location of the materials,” he added.

“Consider that our facilities have been under strict 24/7 supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency. This is the first time that the peaceful nuclear facilities of a member state of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) have been attacked by two regimes armed with nuclear weapons,” Baghaei noted.

He further said, “This represents a major blow to the NPT, to the rule of law, and to all the fundamental principles we value as a human civilization. In other words, this situation should not be simplified or reduced to an attack by the US and Israel on something they considered dangerous. No legal or logical principle permits such attacks against a sovereign state.”