Iran and Australia have announced an agreement between their two countries to share intelligence aimed at combating the extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), according to Australian and Iranian media.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who visited Iran this week, announced after meeting with Iranian authorities: “I believe Iran has information that we would seek and they were very agreeable to share that information with us.”
She said the intelligence will help her country track the situation of Australian soldiers fighting against ISIS in Iraq.
On Saturday in Australia, five teens were arrested by hundreds of police, who alleged they had been planning an attack inspired by the Islamic State. The attack was reportedly aimed at the celebrations marking one century since Australian and New Zealand troops landed at Gallipoli in the First World War.
Bishop added that Australia had considered sharing intelligence with Iran in 2014, which became more pressing after Haroun Munes (Mohammad Hassan Manteghi) held 18 hostages in a Sydney café for 17 hours. The police attempt to release the hostages led to the deaths of Haroun Munes and two of the hostages.
Iranian authorities announced at the time that Australian authorities had been warned about Munes on several occasions.
Australia is part of the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS.
