The dramatic warning from spy chief Mike Burgess about foreign nations contemplating assassinations on Australian soil has — unsurprisingly — generated plenty of headlines and speculation.

The Director General of Security declared that "at least three" nations are both willing and capable of carrying out hits on critics and dissidents overseas — possibly by hiring criminals to do their dirty work for them.

Mr Burgess declined to name the countries and officials and MPs who have a fair idea of that shortlist are not saying much either but an examination of recent actions by some states offers clues as to who might fit that description.

Iran

If you were going to guess which nation was most likely to be on the director-general's list, Iran is at the top.

Tehran has a long history of cl

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