Australians have been warned that Iranian covert agents have infiltrated the country and are attempting to sow discontent on behalf of the hostile regime. 

Kambiz ‘Kam’ Razmara, a lawyer and vice president of the apolitical and non-religious Australian Iranian Society of Victoria, sounded the alarm on Tuesday.

He told the Daily Mail the issues stem from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

‘The IRGC employs proxy networks and indirect methods to conduct operations beyond Iran’s borders,’ Mr Razmara said.

‘These include repression, intimidation, and influence campaigns targeting diaspora communities, including Australian-Iranians.’

Australia categorised the IRGC as a state sponsor of terrorism in November following the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador over allegations he directed attacks against Jewish targets in Sydney and Melbourne.

These included the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on December 6, 2024, and an arson attack on Lewis’ Continental Kitchen in Sydney two months before that.

It marked a historic moment as the first time in Australia’s since World War II that Canberra had expelled an ambassador.

‘These were extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression orchestrated by a foreign nation on Australian soil,’ Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in August.

The actions have been carried out by people working on behalf of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (pictured) and his Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)

Mr Razmara said Australia’s criminal code targets intentional assistance to groups like the IRGC, but there is a lack of public information to inform citizens.

‘The absence of public enforcement or prosecution data and practical guidance leaves Australians – including Australian-Iranians – uncertain about how to identify an IRGC agent,’ he said.

He added this was particularly the case where regime‑aligned actors use coordinated ‘trolling, physical and online intimidation and bullying to disrupt social cohesion and unity’.

Sirius Geopolitics founder Alana Ford added: ‘Intimidation tactics, surveillance and counterintelligence operations, and influence campaigns are all real threats for quite a few different diasporas in Australia.’

Security expert and Atlantic Council senior fellow Elisabeth Braw said Russia and Iran both specialise in this method. 

‘It is a well-known tactic. It’s part of grey zone aggression, which is aggression against other countries using non-military means,’ she told the Daily Mail.

‘What you can do with Western countries is essentially foment discord by spreading lies. 

‘That’s something that Russia has done a lot online and, apparently, Iran may be doing the same in Australia.’

The IRGC was listed as a state sponsor of terrorism after the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador over allegations he directed attacks against Jewish targets, including the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on December 6, 2024 (pictured)

Ms Braw said European nations have seen Iranian actors amplify disinformation and misinformation on social media to get people ‘worked up’ against authorities.

The Australian Iranian Society of Victoria has urged the Albanese government to be more transparent within the parameters of intelligence services. 

‘We urge the Commonwealth to publish de‑identified enforcement data and illustrative case studies,’ Mr Razmara said.

He added that communities need plain English guidance on indicators of agencies and targeted funding for digital-safety education and safe reporting pathways.

Ms Braw echoed this, emphasising the importance of information literacy in defending against foreign interference.

‘Most people don’t have information literacy. They just use the internet without any training, which is crazy,’ she said. 

‘Most countries don’t provide information literacy training so governments should run information literacy campaigns. 

‘It doesn’t even have to be a course you have to attend, but [maybe] public awareness campaigns.

‘Foreign countries will keep [stirring up] discord online as long as people are gullible and don’t check where information comes from.’

The Daily Mail contacted the Iranian embassy in Canberra.

A Department of Home Affairs spokesman said Australia was a ‘target of sophisticated and persistent foreign interference activities from a range of countries’. 

‘While the threat applies to the Australian community generally, members of Australia’s diaspora communities are often at greater risk of interference from foreign powers seeking to exert a measure of authority and control over them,’ he said.

‘Australia’s law enforcement agencies will assess, investigate, disrupt and, where possible, prosecute acts of foreign interference.’

The federal government has developed an online Foreign Interference Community Support Hub, which explains what foreign interference is and provides advice on cyber security and detecting misinformation.