Australia clamps down on Iranian visa holders as war fears rise: What to know
The move could affect over 7,000 Iranians who currently hold visitors visas but who have not yet arrived in Australia.
Iranian nationals holding tourist visas will be temporarily barred from entering Australia under a new government order as Canberra tightens immigration controls in response to the US and Israel’s war with Iran.
What happened: The move, announced by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Wednesday, will apply for six months to Iranian passport holders with valid visitor visas who are currently outside the country.
“There are many visitor visas, which were issued before the conflict in Iran, which may not have been issued if they were applied for now,” Burke said, according to a readout from the Home Affairs Ministry.
“Decisions about permanent stays in Australia should be deliberate decisions of the government, not a random consequence of who had booked a holiday,” he added.
