Media Releases

AIJAC has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision on Friday, Dec. 9 to belatedly impose autonomous sanctions on Iranian human rights abusers, including Iran’s Basij and morality police, as well as on Iranian individuals and entities involved in the provision of loitering munitions for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

AIJAC Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said, “The newly announced sanctions on Iran, imposed under the Magnitsky-type sanctions law passed on a bipartisan basis last year, are very welcome. However, they are not yet enough, and need to be a first step in a larger program of sanctions against elements of the Iranian regime.

“Over the last three months, there have been seven waves of sanctions announced by Canada, 5 by the US and 3 by the UK. Our allies have sanctioned 113 individuals and 17 entities linked to human rights abuses in Iran. On Friday, Australia sanctioned six individuals and two entities. Australia therefore still needs to do more to become fully part of the principled consensus among Western democracies on the need to support Iranians fighting for their human rights in the face of gross oppression by a brutal regime.”

“Also welcome,” Dr. Rubenstein added, “is Canberra’s decision to join the consensus in censoring and sanctioning Iran over its provision of military aid to Russia for its illegal attack on Ukraine, including both drones and missiles. Until recently, Australia had not even condemned Iran for its material aid to Russia, much less imposed sanctions, thus lagging our allies both rhetorically and practically.

Also welcome is Australia’s  additional sanctions on Russia, including the designation of Russian individuals involved in the attempted assassination of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.”

“AIJAC has long called for Australia to take a stronger stance on Iran, thereby bringing us in line with our allies and partners and concretely standing up for our professed values. While we commend the Government’s announcement, we hope this is only the start of such sanctions and that going forward  Australia will coordinate with its allies in penalizing Iran and expand such measures accordingly,” Rubenstein concluded.