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Melbourne’s Iranian community voices outrage over the Albanese Government’s decision to admit ISIS-linked women, while Iranian visa applications remain unanswered and a six-month visiting ban stays in place.

The Iranian community in Melbourne has been rallying in big numbers for freedom in its homeland every week, but it feels like it is being ignored.

This was particularly so after the Albanese Government let a group of four women and nine children with ISIS links arrive in Australia on 7 May.

Two women – Kawsar Abbas and Zeinab Ahmed – were arrested upon arrival in the Victorian capital on terror and slavery-related charges.

The arrest of Janai Safar – for entering a declared conflict zone and being a member of a terrorist organisation – was made in Sydney.

This was after they spent years in the Al-Roj detention camp in Syria.

Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration, Jonno Duniam, has claimed the cost of round-the-clock monitoring for high-risk individuals with links to the Islamic State terror group in Australia will total $2 million per person each year.

This is a figure which Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has been unable to deny.

The issue again caused anger around the nation this week, with The Australian reporting that a further six women, their children and grandchildren would likely soon leave the Al-Roj facility in Syria for Damascus, and then fly to Australia.

Their departure was reportedly cleared by the Syrian government.

Beyond Double Standards

Regular Mel-Iran rally attendee, Mahdi Adhari, said it was hypocritical of the Albanese Government to let in the group of women and children with ISIS links.

Regular Mel-Iran rally attendee, Mahdi Adhari, said it was hypocritical of the Albanese Government to let in the group of women and children with ISIS links at a time when democratic-seeking citizens of Iran were currently being denied entry visas. Pictured with Adhari are Sami Sepasi and Lili Jan. Picture: Josh Spasaro.

This has come at a time when democratic-seeking citizens of Iran have had a six-month visiting ban placed on them by the Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship, Tony Burke, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

“I felt disgusted. It was so disappointing,” Adhari told The Daily Declaration.

“I can add that the government recently banned Iranian visas, and the hypocrisy is they’ve let in the ISIS brides.”

This publication mentioned Atousa Moradi in an article on 8 April, and her Stage 3 breast cancer battle, with her mother being denied a visa from Iran to come to Melbourne in order to care for her.

Adhari does not know why the ISIS brides were granted visas, but Moradi’s mother was denied entry.

“It’s beyond double standards. Someone wants to come here just to visit family, and then known terrorist supporters have been welcomed here in Australia,” he said.

Adhari added that terrorist supporters being let into the country would not only potentially affect the safety of those in the democratic-seeking Iranian community, but all Australians.

“It’s going to affect everyone here in Australia,” he said.

“In Iran 47 years ago, all those radical Islamists and left-wing ideologues combined. And look what happened to the country.

“If that happens in Australia, we’re going to experience the same thing. We have to stop the radical Islamist propaganda.”

A Taxpayer Burden and Safety Concern

Azadeh Doosti (centre), pictured with Kevin Beykpoui and Mahmoud Doosti, said she was “angry” that Australian citizens have to pay taxes so the ISIS brides can be monitored, after they arrived in the country earlier this month. Picture: Josh Spasaro.

Azadeh Doosti works on public relations for the Mel-Iran rally organising committee.

She said she was angered when she saw the ISIS brides being let into Melbourne on national and international news broadcasts.

“I’m very angry as a taxpayer, why we have to pay for them. On top of that, how long will we have to pay for the welfare of their kids?” she said.

“They chose to go there (Syria), so why do we have to bring them back here? Especially with this type of group where they’re brainwashed.

“The police force and paramedics are underpaid, and healthcare. Mr Albanese says anyone with an Australian passport can enter our country.

“It’s not right. We don’t want the IRGC in Australia.”

Doosti said she was still waiting on a reply from the federal government after reporting whom she believes were members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps living in the country.

“Definitely (I feel unsafe) because we already reported people who are members of the IRGC, or their family are members of IRGC,” she said.

“They entered Australia easily, and they happily live here. We’ve reported them since last September, and they’re still here.

“We haven’t heard anything.”

Doosti added she was disgusted when she saw a connection of the ISIS brides tell a female reporter to “f..k off, slut” when questioned about his association after their arrival in Melbourne.

“Look at their behaviour and manners. You can see they’re not respectful to Australian values,” she said.

“So why do we have to bring these people to Australia?

“We have someone here — her brother applied for a skilled migrant visa.

“High level of education, and after 32 months, he’s still waiting in Iran.

“The level of English, qualifications and the things he could do here as a worker, he’s still waiting after 32 months in Iran.

“I feel discrimination. The government is opening its borders for the Syrians and Ukrainians, but they’re not letting in high-educated Iranian people.”

Flag Controversy at the Rallies

Mojgan attended a Mel-Iran rally on May 10, and said she was told by authorities not to wave her lion and sun Iranian flag, which represents defence against tyranny.

It also served as the state flag of Iran from 1907 until the 1979 Islamic Revolution, after which it was strictly banned.

“We came from the State Library, and we saw them (Free Palestine rally-goers) there. The security said ‘please don’t wave your flag’,” she said.

“That’s because if they saw this flag, they’d attack us.”

Kian Azizi – also part of the Mel-Iran organising committee – believes the Albanese Government has embarrassed itself by letting in the ISIS brides.

“As freedom-seeking people of Iran, we do feel unsafe,” he said.

“That’s because we are now letting in people who have the same terrorist intentions as those groups in the Middle East.

“Letting them in, and stopping Iranian people with valid visas from coming to Australia, is nothing but embarrassing.

“We feel unsafe, and no support has been offered to the Iranian community, who are actually contributing to this economy.

“It’s so disappointing, but regardless, we will do what we need to do.

“We keep coming, we keep fighting, we keep protesting and raising our voices.”

We Keep Fighting

Azizi said human rights activist Dr Minoo Ghamari – an Iranian-Australian in Melbourne – has worked hard on lobbying the Albanese Government to recognise the visa applications of many of her countrymen and women back in her home nation.

But there is frustration among their community that these applications for visas have not been responded to, while ISIS brides have been allowed into the country.

“Dr Minoo is an activist in that space. She’s done a great job, and she’s done a lot for the Iranian-Australian community,” Azizi said.

“She’s been following up with all the MPs on the outcomes of these conversations that she’s had with them.

“And we’re not going to leave it there. We’re going to continue following through on what’s happening.

“She’s been doing a great job being a representative of the Iranian-Australian community.

“And we will be ready to go for any sort of protest or representation of our community to support their rights.

“As far as I know, there have been no replies as yet, which is terrible and so disappointing. But we’ll keep going, and I believe that’s the only way.”

The office of Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship, Tony Burke, was contacted for comment.

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Featured image: Kian Azizi (second from left) pictured leading a rally in protest against the Albanese Government’s six-month visa ban for democratic-seeking Iranians who wish to visit Australia. He said denying their entry, but letting in the ISIS brides was “embarrassing and disappointing”. Picture: Josh Spasaro.