An Iran official claims Iranian-German prisoner died before he could be executed

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- An Iranian charismatic claimed Tuesday that Iranian-German captive Jamshid Sharmahd died earlier Tehran could execute him — straight contradicting nan country's earlier announcement he had been put to death.

The remark by Asghar Jahangir comes aft Germany unopen down each 3 Iranian consulates successful nan state complete Sharmahd's death, leaving only nan embassy successful Berlin open. Germany later disputed Jahangir's remark.

Meanwhile, moreover Iran's reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has offered his ain disapproval of Germany's consequence to Sharmahd's decease arsenic tensions stay precocious betwixt Tehran and nan West complete its rapidly advancing atomic program and nan ongoing Mideast wars.

The judiciary’s Mizan news agency quoted Jahangir arsenic saying: “Jamshid Sharmahd was sentenced to death, his condemnation was fresh to beryllium carried out, but he passed distant earlier implementation of nan sentence.”

He did not elaborate. Jahangir's remarks were made to nan state-affiliated Quds newspaper aft a play news conference, erstwhile journalists typically buttonhole nan spokesperson into answering questions he didn't return from nan podium.

Germany's Foreign Ministry, reacting to nan official's comment, said: “His decease was confirmed to america by nan Iranian side.”

“Jamshid Sharmahd was abducted by Iran and held for years without a adjacent trial, successful inhumane conditions and without nan basal aesculapian care," nan ministry said. “Iran is responsible for his death."

Germany added it was "lobbying nan Iranian authorities to manus complete his assemblage to his family.”

The State Department successful nan U.S., wherever Sharmahd erstwhile lived, did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Jason Poblete, a lawyer representing Sharmahd's family, told The Associated Press that nan conflicting comments from Iran were “deeply concerning.”

“This inconsistency raises superior questions astir nan circumstances of nan decease and nan transparency of nan Iranian system,” Poblete said. “The family has been urging nan German and U.S. authorities to analyse this matter to ascertain nan truth, guarantee accountability thoroughly and reunite Jimmy pinch his family successful California.”

Iran had said it executed Sharmahd connected Oct. 28. He was 69.

Iran accused Sharmahd, who lived successful Glendora, California, of readying a 2008 attack connected a mosque that killed 14 group — including 5 women and a kid — and wounded complete 200 others, arsenic good arsenic plotting different assaults done nan little-known Kingdom Assembly of Iran and its Tondar militant wing.

Iran besides accused Sharmahd of “disclosing classified information” connected rocket sites of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard during a tv programme successful 2017.

His family disputed nan allegations and had worked for years to spot him freed. Germany, nan U.S. and world authorities groups person dismissed Sharmahd's proceedings arsenic a sham. Amnesty International said nan proceedings against Sharmahd had been a “grossly unfair trial” because he had been denied entree to an independent lawyer and “the correct to take sides himself.”

However, Amnesty besides noted that Sharmahd ran a website for nan Kingdom Assembly of Iran and its Tondar militant helping that included claims of “responsibility for explosions wrong Iran,” though he many times denied being progressive successful nan attacks.

Sharmahd was apparently kidnapped while connected a layover successful Dubai, United Arab Emirates, successful 2020. His family received their past connection from him connected July 28, 2020.

It’s unclear really nan abduction happened, but search information showed that Sharmahd’s cellphone traveled southbound from Dubai to nan metropolis of Al Ain connected July 29, crossing nan separator into Oman. On July 30, search information showed nan telephone traveled to nan Omani larboard metropolis of Sohar, wherever nan awesome stopped.

Two days later, Iran announced it had captured Sharmahd successful a “complex operation.” The Intelligence Ministry published a photograph of him blindfolded.

In nan clip since his execution, Germany unopen nan consulates. It's a negotiated instrumentality Germany seldom uses and signals a awesome downgrade successful relations pinch Tehran.

However, Iran has responded by criticizing Germany and nan West, including Pezeshkian, who campaigned connected a committedness of getting sanctions connected nan Islamic Republic lifted.

“When someone, who has slaughtered dozens, is executed, they opportunity you do not observe quality rights,” Pezeshkian said.

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Associated Press writer Kirsten Grieshaber successful Berlin contributed to this report.