Iranian state media and loyalists including a top general pushed conspiracy theories after a deadly shooting targeting Australia’s Jewish community on Sunday, with some portraying the attack as a possible false-flag operation and others even praising it.
The messaging emerged even as Iran's foreign ministry issued a formal condemnation of the shooting at a Hanukkah event in Sydney that killed 16 people and injured 40 others.
Tasnim News, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, ran the story under the headline “At Least 10 Zionists Slain in Hanukkah Festival in Australia,” in what appeared to be a celebration of the deaths.
The IRGC-affiliated Sabereen News also hailed the killing of British-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, calling him "a staunch supporter of Gaza genocide who had met Zionist soldiers to voice his support for their war against Gaza."
Fellow IRGC outlet Fars News described the incident as a “murky story,” questioning the plausibility of a lone or independent attack. The outlet wrote: “It's not normal for individuals to open fire on hundreds of people at a public celebration,” framing the shooting as a product of “widespread anti-Zionist sentiments” and invoking the October 7 attack on Israel.
State-run Mehr News Agency advanced a more explicit accusation. Its headline read: “The primary suspect in the attack on Jews in Australia is the Zionist regime,” presenting the violence as a “false-flag” operation allegedly designed to serve Israeli interests.
IRGC general calls Israel 'sole beneficiary'
The narrative was reinforced by comments from Mohammad Reza Naghdi, a senior IRGC general and top adviser to the force’s chief commander, who publicly argued that Israel was the sole beneficiary of the attack.
In a lengthy statement published by Fars News, Naghdi asked: “Who benefits from the Sydney incident?” before asserting: “The answer is clear. The only one who benefits from the Sydney incident is the Zionist regime.”
Naghdi framed the shooting as a strategic move to suppress pro-Gaza activism in Australia, claiming Sydney had become one of the most prominent centers of “anti-Zionist” demonstrations in the West.
He questioned whether the attack would “facilitate anti-Zionist protests by the people of Sydney or open the hand of the Australian police to suppress them,” and suggested that portraying Jewish communities as unsafe would serve Israeli political goals.
He also raised a series of rhetorical questions about why the attackers targeted civilians and a place of worship rather than Israeli-linked businesses, shipping interests, or Israeli soldiers visiting Australia. “Why were ordinary people and a place of worship targeted?” Naghdi asked, concluding that any act diverting attention from Gaza ultimately “helps the Zionists.”
Outlets often labeled as moderate echoed similar themes in their reporting. Tabnak portrayed the shooting as a “false flag” meant to “revive Israel's antisemitism narrative” and warned of possible repercussions for Tehran, accusing Israel of “seeking to exploit the situation.”
Beyond official outlets and senior figures, Islamic Republic supporters and online commentators circulated celebratory and openly antisemitic reactions, according to social media posts monitored on Sunday. These responses praised the attack or dismissed it as staged, amplifying hostility toward Jews while denying responsibility for the violence.
Australia severed diplomatic ties with Tehran in August, accusing Iran of involvement in threats and attacks against Jewish communities.
Also in November, the country officially designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks on the sidelines of the International Forum for Peace and Trust in the capital Ashgabat, an unusual gathering in one of the world’s most closed states.
Putin said Moscow and Tehran remain in close contact on major international issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
“We are in close contact on all key international issues, including all matters related to the Iranian nuclear program. You know our position: we support Iran at the UN,” Putin said, adding that the foreign ministers of the two countries are “in constant contact.”
He said Russia and Iran are negotiating cooperation in the gas and electricity sectors and will work together on energy transmission projects.
“We are holding talks in the gas and power sectors, and cooperation in energy transfer will take shape,” he said.
He added that relations between the two countries are expanding steadily. “Our relations are developing day by day,” Putin said, pointing to plans to advance the North–South transport corridor linking Russia to South Asia via Iran.
Putin also cited plans to expand cooperation at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, which was built by Russia.
Broader strategic ties
The meeting comes as Tehran and Moscow deepen strategic cooperation under Western sanctions. Earlier this month, the two countries signed a new agreement covering artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, expanding collaboration in digital infrastructure, data transit and e-government.
Iran and Russia have also worked closely on space projects. Tehran has said three Iranian satellites will be launched aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket later this month, following earlier launches carried out with Russian support.
