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The Australian
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Australian
‘Terrified': Iranian regime's hit list reaches Australia
Exiled Iranians say they are being stalked and threatened with death by Islamic Republic agents operating freely in Australia, as the Albanese government faces renewed pressure to shut down Tehran's embassy and act on foreign interference. Several Iranian-Australians broke their silence to tell The Australian how the regime monitors their activities using informants, with claims they have been repeatedly threatened for publicly condemning Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the mullahs. Some threats came after Israel and the US destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities during a 12-day war in June. The revelations sparked renewed calls for the Albanese government to cut ties with Tehran's embassy in Canberra, which declined to answer questions when approached for comment. Among those speaking out is Milad Kianpour Ghafarokh, an Iranian dissident who was tortured in prison and had his tongue cut by guards before fleeing to Australia as a political refugee. He has since become one of the diaspora's most outspoken and influential critics of the regime. 'Agents of the Islamic Republic are threatening to kill me and are putting pressure on my family in Iran, saying that if I don't stay silent they will harm them,' he told The Australian. Also targeted is Sydney councillor Tina Kordrostami, who fled Iran with her family as at the age of four. She said her open criticism of the regime had led to digital and in-person threats – including being stalked outside her home by a suspected operative and harassed at a petrol station by a man who later told her he knew where she lived. 'It was terrifying,' she said. 'I had to move houses.' At the end of June 2023, nearly 86,000 Iranian-born people were living in Australia, according to the latest figures from the Department of Home Affairs. Many arrived after the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, settling predominantly in Victoria and NSW. The vice president of the Australian Iranian Community Alliance, Suren Edgar said there has been a systemic campaign of intimidation and repression directed at Iranian community leaders, journalists, and activists in Australia by the Islamic Republic and its IRGC-linked proxies. 'These incidents underscore that Iranian critics – even those peacefully advocating for freedom from within democratic societies – remain vulnerable to surveillance, threats, digital harassment and physical danger,' Mr Edgar said. 'It is clear … the IRGC and Iranian intelligence possess both the intent and the operational reach to target diaspora communities, including here in Australia.' ASIO director-general Mike Burgess in February referred to Iran as a 'hostile nation' while delivering his Annual Threat Assessment address. Taking the unprecedented step of declassifying the spy agency's security outlook for the next five years, he said at least three countries had plotted to physically harm people in Australia during the previous 12 months. 'We are not immune to hostile nation states, such as Iran, undertaking acts of security concern on our shores or near region,' Mr Burgess said. One of the most extreme cases of abuse involves Ghafarokh, a Melbourne-based independent journalist and refugee, who believes he has been hunted by the regime for years. He arrived in Australia in 2013 after being imprisoned and tortured in Iran. He said his anti-regime reporting had made him a top target for the IRGC and its alleged foreign agents. The 39-year-old has been using social media to relentlessly advocate against the regime, publishing interviews with Iranian political opposition figures that attract millions of views. The Australian has seen hundreds of life-threatening messages sent to Ghafarokh, which he claims come from 'thugs' serving in Australia. 'They want to kill me, I know that,' he said. His lawyer, Amir Hassani, wrote to Victoria Police saying his client's life was 'in danger' and called for 'intervention'. 'I would like to request you treat Mr Kianpour's matter very seriously,' the letter states. 'As a political asylum-seeker, he should be protected in this country. His life is in danger and calls for your prime attention and appropriate intervention.' In one case, Ghafarokh filed a safety intervention order against Vahid Alzubayedi, who was charged by the AFP with one count of public display of a terrorist organisation symbol, being a Hezbollah flag, on December 13 last year. The Australian is not suggesting Mr Alzubayedi is guilty of any wrongdoing, only that a safety intervention order had been filed against him by Ghafarokh. The court is yet to determine an outcome for the application. 'The respondent was continually making gestures of slitting my throat and threatening to destroy my business,' Ghafarokh wrote. 'I am in constant fear that I may see the respondent or that he will try to harm me as he has indicated he is not afraid of anyone or anything.' Lawyers representing Mr Alzubayedi were approached for comment. Ghafarokh said he had been targeted because his reporting focused on exposing the regime's crimes – from interviewing blinded protesters and jailed dissidents to revealing allegations of torture and corruption. 'I am the only active Iranian in Australia whose posts get millions of views, and they are afraid of that,' he said. 'I was tortured and imprisoned by them in Iran, but I managed to escape and seek asylum in Australia. 'The marks of their torture are visible on my face. My lip was torn and stitched, my nose has undergone surgery, and my tongue was cut. 'I've spoken about all their corruption, from their money laundering and their children living abroad to the sexual abuse of prisoners.' He said the threats escalated as his social media profile grew, and that 'cyber agents' had repeatedly attempted to shut down his accounts. 'They are afraid of the truth. That's why they're doing everything they can to silence me by threatening me and my family and using cyber agents to shut down my accounts. 'Every day on Instagram I receive dozens of death threats saying things like, 'We'll put you in a sack and bring you back to Iran,' or 'The fate of Ruhollah Zam awaits you'.' Zam was an Iranian journalist lured to Iraq, kidnapped and executed by the IRGC. Despite more than 20 reports to Victoria Police, Ghafarokh said he had received no support. He said the regime had also targeted his family inside Iran, with relatives threatened and arrested. 'The IRGC, Basij (paramilitary) forces, and plainclothes agents repeatedly attacked their home at night, broke the windows, and sprayed graffiti on the walls, saying things like 'We are against the rule of the Supreme Leader.' 'My family has been placed under pressure repeatedly. They are constantly being asked to get me to shut down my pages and stop talking about the IRGC and Khamenei.' Ms Kordrostami, the Sydney councillor, defected from the Greens Party because of its failure to condemn the Iranian regime during the 12-day war in June. Last month, a day before a pro-Palestine rally featured imagery of Iran's Supreme Leader, a suspected foreign operative stood outside her home, staring silently at her for more than 15 minutes. 'I feel like he was just trying to intimidate me,' she said. 'I was with my dog and he was across the road. He went towards my car and just kept looking back at me.' That incident was reported to NSW police, who told the councillor they would keep a record of the matter. In late 2022, Ms Kordrostami was also stalked by a man who blasted Iranian music from a white van. She said he attempted to climb in her car when she stopped at a petrol station because she felt intimidated. 'I pulled into a servo, and the driver followed me inside. He later leaned against my car window saying he knew where I lived. I had to move houses after that. It was terrifying.' Ms Kordrostami said while the digital harassment had reduced since her election, she received death threats 'daily' at the height of her activism, including messages such as 'you'll be put in a body bag'. 'I hate to say it, but the abuse has become kind of normalised in the community after a major event,' she said. Tasmanian Liberal senator Claire Chandler said since a February 2023 Senate inquiry into Iran, she had continuously heard of 'deeply troubling' cases of 'threats, intimidation, and coercion' against the Iranian-Australian community. Senator Chandler, who led calls to sanction the regime and list the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, said the Albanese government was well aware of the issues. 'I've continued to hear deeply troubling … accounts of threats, intimidation and coercion happening right here on Australian soil,' she said. 'I remain gravely concerned about the regime's growing influence and the risks it poses within Australia, and even more gravely concerned about the Albanese government's ability or willingness to address these serious issues.' Labor declined to list the IRGC as a terrorist organisation despite the inquiry's recommendation, citing the government's interest in seeking to manage a diplomatic relationship with Iran. Senator Chandler said the government had failed to 'stand up' to the regime or 'defend Australians from foreign interference'. 'The government's refusal to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organisation or expel the Iranian ambassador only reinforces that message,' she said. 'The Albanese government has been aware of these issues for years. It's clear that quiet diplomacy has failed. The time for real action is long overdue.' The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was approached for comment. Mohammad Alfares Journalist Mohammad Alfares is a journalist based in the Melbourne bureau of The Australian, where he covers breaking news, politics, legal affairs, and religious issues. He began filming and editing homemade 'productions' as a child — an early sign of his future in journalism. He holds a Bachelor of Communication from Massey University in New Zealand and began his career in broadcast news before transitioning to print. Outside the newsroom, Mohammad is an avid fisherman and adrenaline-seeker. When he's not chasing a big catch, he enjoys unwinding with a good coffee, fresh air, and a ride on his motorbike. Politics US Defense Department has extended its review of the AUKUS deal until November, raising fresh questions about Australia's defence spending commitments. Agribusiness Cattle Australia told the government said it was 'incredulous' that official documents seemed to suggest 'weaker certification requirements for Mexico' than compared to Canada.
The Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Ramaphosa tells Liberation Movements Summit it's time Africa processed its raw materials
Ramaphosa said the countries needed to be united in efforts to rid society of corruption and crime. "... and we need to work together, drawing on each other's experiences, to rebuild and renew our movements. Our movements were built through the struggles of the young people of the time. Today, we must rebuild our movements the same way,' he said. 'The impatience of young people is not something that we should fear. It is to be welcomed because it signals the determination of new generations of citizens to strive for a better life, for a more just society.' He said youth leagues should not be ceremonial wings of movements but must be engines of ideological clarity, economic innovation, digital activism and organisational unity and renewal. Liberation movements, he said, were under siege, with most having to contend with declining electoral support, shifting demographics and frustrated young people in various countries. Ramaphosa said the continent was also grappling with economic inequality and foreign interference. 'These trends speak to a deeper crisis, the disconnect between our founding narratives and the lived realities of a new generation of young people. It is a generation that sees and appreciates less of our past victories and more of our present shortcomings,' he said. Ramaphosa said the disconnect within the population emboldened external attacks on sovereignty, independence, development and security. 'In fact, there has been ample evidence that international actors use the legitimate grievances of our people to attack progressive governments. We have seen a revival of the forces of unilateralism, neocolonialism and imperial extraction.' He stressed that there can be no true freedom without the liberation of women, saying society cannot thrive if women are excluded. 'If girls are unable to complete school, if women cannot find decent work or run their own businesses, if they do not receive equal pay for equal work, if they are vulnerable to violence and abuse, then our freedom will not be complete and our societies will remain forever poor,' he said. Ramaphosa said he welcomed the comprehensive resolutions which include land equity for women, reproductive rights and the call to mainstream women in leadership, trade, learning and in peace processes. 'We echo the call to centre the Pan-African Women's Organisation in our regional agenda and commit to elevating women's voices and leadership in every aspect of our movement, government and the private sector.' Ramaphosa said one of the most dangerous narratives today was the weaponisation of migration. 'We must reject xenophobia in all its forms. Migration itself must not be seen as a threat. It is a consequence of underdevelopment, war, global inequality, not a moral failing of those who move in search of hope.' SowetanLIVE
The Guardian
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Canadian intelligence accuses India over Sikh's killing as Carney meets Modi
Canada's spy agency has warned that the assassination in British Columbia of a prominent Sikh activist signaled a 'significant escalation in India's repression efforts' and reflects a broader, transnational campaign by the government in New Delhi to threaten dissidents. The report was made public a day after Mark Carney shook hands with Narendra Modi at the G7 and pledged to restore diplomatic relations in a very public attempt to turn the page on the bitter diplomatic row unleashed by the murder of the Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The meeting prompted immediate backlash from members of the Sikh community, who warned that the resumption of diplomatic ties 'must not come at the expense of justice and transparency'. In its annual report to parliament, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said on Wednesday that India, China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan were the perpetrators of foreign interference efforts. 'Indian officials, including their Canada-based proxy agents, engage in a range of activities that seek to influence Canadian communities and politicians. When these activities are deceptive, clandestine or threatening, they are deemed to be foreign interference,' the report said. 'These activities attempt to steer Canada's positions into alignment with India's interests on key issues, particularly with respect to how the Indian government perceives Canada-based supporters of an independent homeland that they call Khalistan.' The report singled out the killing of Nijjar in the British Columbia city of Surrey two years ago, noting investigators had established a 'link between agents of the Government of India and criminal networks to sow violent activity in South Asian communities in Canada'. Since becoming prime minister last year, Carney has sought to restore relations with India, which cratered after his predecessor accused the Modi government of orchestrating the high-profile assassination. Four Indian nationals living in Canada have been charged with Nijjar's murder. India temporarily stopped issuing visas in Canada and, soon after, Canada expelled six senior diplomats, including the high commissioner, Sanjay Verma. India retaliated by ordering the expulsion of six high-ranking Canadian diplomats, including the acting high commissioner. Carney invited Modi to the G7 summit over the objections of Sikh organizations and human-rights activists as well as lawmakers from within his own party, framing the decision as pragmatic step to restore engagement with one of the world's largest economies. At the time, Carney said there was a 'legal process that is literally under way and quite advanced in Canada'. In a joint statement at the conclusion of the G7 summit in Alberta, leaders of Canada, the US, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Japan said they were 'deeply concerned by growing reports of transnational repression' amid efforts to 'intimidate, harass, harm or coerce individuals or communities outside their borders'. The statement did not name India. Following the meeting, Carney's office said the two leaders had agreed to return high commissioners to each other's capital 'with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries'. Modi said Canada and India were 'dedicated to democratic values' and that the relationship between the two countries was 'very important in many ways'. But Carney declined to tell reporters whether he raised the killing of Nijjar during the encounter. Sikhs for Justice, an advocacy organization calling for the establishment of a Sikh homeland in India, issued a statement on Wednesday calling on Carney to provide specifics of his meeting. 'Did Prime Minister Carney question Narendra Modi about the role of Indian agents in the assassination of Shaheed Hardeep Singh Nijjar – yes or no?' said Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief legal counsel for SJF. Pannun was listed as a key target for India's campaign of violence and an attempt on his life was foiled by US federal agents. 'Accountability for Nijjar's killing cannot be sidestepped in the name of diplomacy or trade. Diplomatic normalization with the Modi regime must not come at the expense of justice and transparency,' he said. British Columbia's premier, David Eby, announced on Tuesday that he had asked Carney's government to designate an Indian criminal gang implicated in the Nijjar killing as a terrorist organization in order to help police tackle extortion cases targeting south Asian businesses in the region. 'There are allegations that gangs in India are operating here in our province, and in other provinces, to intimidate and extort business owners,' Eby told reporters. The Bishnoi gang – led by Lawrence Bishnoi from an Indian jail cell – was named by the RCMP as playing a possible role in violent crimes on Canadian soil that have led to diplomatic tensions between Canada and India. 'This is a serious step,' Eby said. 'We don't make this recommendation lightly, but this activity strikes at public confidence in the justice system, in our democracy.'
