Iran ambassador calls Israel’s retaliatory strikes ‘terrorist act’

Israel carried out air strikes in and around the Iranian capital Tehran early on Saturday morning (local time), killing at least four Iranian soldiers.

The strikes targeted military sites, according to the Israel Defence Forces, and were in response to Iran’s barrage of nearly 200 missiles fired at its regional rival earlier this month.

Mourning the Iranian soldiers, Iran’s envoy to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi said on Sunday the strikes were a “violation of national sovereignty”.

Iran’s ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi the strikes were a ‘violation of national sovereignty’. Picture: X / @ahmad87051

“The midnight aggression of the lawless Zionist enemy on the holy territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran … has been condemned as a terrorist act and a clear violation of national sovereignty and violation of international rules and laws by all our neighbouring countries in the region and other independent governments of the world,” Mr Sadeghi posted on X.

“In the course of defending and countering this blatant aggression and the attacks of the Zionist enemy against the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and preventing harm to the nation and the interests of the territory of Iran, four officers and valiant fighters of the (army) were martyred while confronting the projectiles of the criminal enemy.

“These proud martyrs of the country have become eternal in paradise and in the hearts of the Iranian people.

“May their memory be cherished and their path be filled with followers.”

Mr Sadeghi has previously sparked controversy with anti-Semitic comments, including referring to Israel as a “Zionist plague” that ought to be wiped out of the “holy lands of Palestine”.

He also praised recently slain leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Islamist groups that Israel is fighting in Gaza and Lebanon.

Mr Sadeghi has been summoned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for his remarks previously and issued with warnings.

NewsWire has contacted the DFAT for comment.

Liberal senator Dave Sharma, a former ambassador to Israel, on Monday defended Israel’s strikes, saying the response was “targeted”.

“It was justified, it was proportionate, it was directed solely at military targets,” Senator Sharma said.

An Israeli fighter jet leaves a hangar at an undisclosed location in Israel. Picture: AFP / Handout / Israeli Army

Pro-Iran broadcaster Al-Mayadeen said an Israeli strike hit an office it had vacated in Beirut. Picture: Anwar Amro / AFP

“Israel has a clear right to self-defence, but the Iranian ambassador here seems to be hell bent on stirring up trouble and making a name for himself domestically.”

Senator Sharma said the envoy was “not listening to the government” and “should be called in for his remarks.”

“Ambassadors are meant to be the private channels and conduits for communication between governments,” Senator Sharma said.

“They’re not meant to involve themselves in domestic politics, and I think it’s well past time that the Australian government asked Iran to send them someone else to represent their interests here in Australia.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s leadership has given an ambiguous response to the latest strikes.

The Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the Israeli action “should neither be downplayed nor exaggerated”, while Iran’s president vowed “an appropriate response”.

“We do not seek war, but we will defend the rights of the people and the nation, and we will give an appropriate response to the Zionist entity’s aggression,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, as reported by Iranian state media.