Mike Burgess, head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), revealed that up to four countries, including Iran, are involved in foreign interference targeting Australia's diaspora communities.

Burgess emphasized that foreign interference and espionage are major security concerns for ASIO, particularly regarding threats to diaspora communities.

He noted that allied countries have also been implicated in threatening Australians on home soil.

Iran's involvement in foreign interference was publicly identified due to prior statements by the federal minister.

Recently, Iran's ambassador to Australia used social media to incite violence against Israelis, which Burgess condemned as inappropriate.

Burgess's comments came during an ABC interview following the recent upgrade of Australia's terrorism threat level from 'possible' to 'probable.'

This increase in threat level is attributed to a rise in politically motivated violence, particularly with the upcoming federal election.

He highlighted that the most likely terrorist attacks in Australia would be spontaneous acts with little warning or planning, potentially triggered by inflammatory language.

Burgess pointed out that young individuals are particularly vulnerable to recruitment for extremist activities, with a significant number of recent terror investigations involving minors.

He also noted the connection between inflammatory language and the potential for violence, urging caution among politicians and media.

Burgess called for a collective effort from families, community leaders, governments, and media to address the issue of radicalization.

He defended security checks for individuals fleeing Gaza and assured that ASIO effectively handles security concerns as they arise.