Germany orders 3 Iranian consulates to shut after an Iranian German prisoner is executed

BERLIN -- Germany ordered nan closure of each 3 Iranian consulates successful nan state connected Thursday successful consequence to nan execution of Iranian German captive Jamshid Sharmahd, who lived successful nan United States and was kidnapped successful Dubai successful 2020 by Iranian information forces.

Sharmahd, 69, was put to death successful Iran connected Monday connected coercion charges, nan Iranian judiciary said. That followed a 2023 proceedings that Germany, nan U.S. and world authorities groups dismissed arsenic a sham.

The determination to adjacent nan Iranian consulates successful Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich, announced by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, leaves nan Islamic Republic pinch only its embassy successful Berlin.

The German Foreign Ministry had already summoned Iran’s complaint d’affaires connected Tuesday to protestation against Sharmahd’s execution. German Ambassador Markus Potzel besides protested to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, earlier being recalled to Berlin for consultations.

Sharmahd was 1 of respective Iranian dissidents overseas successful caller years either tricked aliases kidnapped backmost to Iran arsenic Tehran began lashing retired aft nan illness of its 2015 atomic woody pinch world powers including Germany.

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.

Iran pushed backmost against Germany’s protests. Araghchi wrote Tuesday connected societal web X that “a German passport does not supply impunity to anyone, fto unsocial a violent criminal.”

He accused Baerbock of “gaslighting” and wrote that “your authorities is accomplice successful nan ongoing Israeli genocide.” Germany is simply a staunch state of Israel and has sharply criticized Iranian attacks connected Israel arsenic tensions spiral complete nan wars successful Gaza and Lebanon.

The closure of consulates, a negotiated instrumentality Germany seldom uses, signals a awesome downgrade to negotiated relations that were already poor. Last year, Berlin told Russia to close 4 of nan 5 consulates it past had successful Germany aft Moscow group a limit for nan number of unit astatine nan German Embassy and related bodies successful Russia.

On Tuesday, EU overseas argumentation main Josep Borrell said that “the execution of a European national is earnestly harming relations betwixt Iran and nan European Union.”

“In position of this appalling development, nan European Union will now see targeted and important measures,” he said successful a statement, without elaborating.

Sharmahd had been successful Dubai successful 2020, trying to recreation to India for a business woody involving his package company. He hoped to get a connecting formation contempt nan coronavirus pandemic disrupting world travel.

Sharmahd’s 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.

Germany expelled 2 Iranian diplomats past twelvemonth complete Sharmahd’s decease sentence.