Sheikh Mansour Leghaei with, from left, his son Mohammad Ali, wife Marzieh Hosseini, son Mohammad Sadesgh, daughter Fatima Mohammad Reza, and son Mohammad Reza.
Sheikh Mansour Leghaei with, from left, his son Mohammad Ali, wife Marzieh Hosseini, son Mohammad Sadesgh, daughter Fatima Mohammad Reza, and son Mohammad Reza. Photo: Tamara Dean
An Iranian sheikh has been given six weeks to leave Australia after the Immigration Minister refused to overrule an adverse assessment that suspects him of "acts of foreign interference".
Sheikh Mansour Leghaei, who has raised his family in Sydney since moving here in 1994, was told by immigration officials this morning that he had finally lost his 13-year legal battle to stay in Australia.
He had ben hoping they would renew his bridging visa, last extended two weeks ago. Instead, he learnt the minister, Chris Evans, would not intervene against the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
However, Senator Evans has decided that Dr Leghaei's wife, Marzieh, and one of their four children, Ali, 20 – both of whom had also faced deportation – will be allowed to stay.
It is believed that his wife may return to Iran with him, with their daughter, Fatima, 14, an Australian citizen who was born in Sydney.
ASIO has not told Dr Leghaei why it suspects him. As a non-citizen, he is not entitled to be told, the High Court has ruled.
