Germany has ordered the closure of three Iranian consulates following the execution of dual-national Jamshid Sharmahd, marking a significant escalation in diplomatic measures against the Iranian regime. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock declared that Germany would push for European Union-wide sanctions against individuals involved in Sharmahd’s execution and called on the EU to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
Baerbock emphasized, “We have repeatedly made it unequivocally clear to Tehran that the execution of a German citizen would have serious consequences.” This announcement came after a series of diplomatic warnings and discussions, including a meeting with the Iranian regime’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New York. Baerbock described Sharmahd’s death as a “cold-blooded murder” that highlights the continued brutality of the Iranian regime.
The decision affects consulates in Frankfurt, Munich, and Hamburg, expelling 32 Iranian officials unless they hold dual citizenship. Although the Iranian embassy in Berlin remains operational, it will now handle all consular matters.
We repeatedly made it crystal clear to #Tehran that the execution of a German national would have serious consequences. I have therefore decided to close the three Iranian Consulates General in Frankfurt am Main, Munich and Hamburg. – @ABaerbock 1/3
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) October 31, 2024
Sharmahd, a German-Iranian citizen, was accused of involvement in a 2008 bombing and was executed after a trial widely criticized for lacking due process. Observers have called the trial a sham, noting Sharmahd’s denial of legal representation and probable coerced confessions.
The closure of consulates comes as Germany continues its broader campaign against Iranian influence operations, which include espionage and the dissemination of extremist ideology. Baerbock’s call for the EU to label the IRGC as a terrorist group aligns with existing designations by the U.S. and Canada, emphasizing the need for coordinated international pressure.
Germany’s recent move to shut down Iranian consulates follows a pattern of increasing scrutiny over Tehran’s foreign activities, marked by incidents such as the expulsion of Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh, the former head of the Islamic Center of Hamburg, due to extremist affiliations. This center had been labeled by German authorities as a “significant propaganda hub for Iran in Europe,” serving as a direct arm of the Supreme Leader’s office to disseminate militant ideology.
Furthermore, investigations have exposed the role of Iran’s Al-Mustafa International University in Berlin as a suspected recruiting ground for the Quds Force, the elite unit of the IRGC. Intelligence agencies have linked around 700 individuals to the university for potential espionage and extremist activities.
The crackdown is part of Germany’s intensified efforts to address the longstanding threat posed by Iranian regime-backed institutions acting as fronts for espionage, recruitment, and the spread of anti-democratic values. Earlier, significant police raids targeted over 50 sites across multiple states, uncovering evidence of financial and logistical support for extremism. These actions underscore the ongoing threat that Iran’s proxy and intelligence networks represent to both European and global security.
Source » ncr-iran