Germany Orders Closure of Iranian Consulates After Execution of Dual National

[Social Media]

 

Germany has ordered the closure of all three Iranian consulates within its borders following Iran’s execution of Iranian-German national Jamshid Sharmahd, a 69-year-old dissident who resided in the United States. This decision, announced Thursday by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, underscores a significant diplomatic fallout between Germany and Iran and leaves the Islamic Republic with only its embassy in Berlin. 

 

Sharmahd, who had been living in Glendora, California, was detained in 2020 after being kidnapped from Dubai by Iranian security forces while attempting to travel to India for business. On Monday, he was executed by Iranian authorities on terrorism charges, stemming from allegations of his involvement in a 2008 mosque bombing that killed 14 people and injured over 200 others. Iran further accused him of plotting additional attacks through the Kingdom Assembly of Iran and its militant wing, Tondar, as well as disclosing sensitive information about Iran’s missile sites during a 2017 television appearance. His family, however, has maintained his innocence, rejecting the charges as fabricated.

 

Germany, the United States, and international human rights groups condemned Sharmahd’s trial, describing it as a “sham.” The German Foreign Ministry summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires to protest the execution, and German Ambassador Markus Potzel raised objections to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi before being recalled to Berlin for further consultations. Baerbock stated that her government had made it clear to Tehran that executing a German citizen would carry serious repercussions, emphasizing that Sharmahd’s case was central to discussions with Araghchi in New York only a month prior. “The latest comments by the Iranian foreign minister, in which he puts the cold-blooded murder of Jamshid Sharmahd in the context of German support for Israel, also speak for themselves,” Baerbock said. “Iran’s government knows above all the language of blackmail, threat, and violence.”

 

Iran responded to Germany’s outcry with defiance. Foreign Minister Araghchi dismissed the protests, asserting that “a German passport does not provide impunity to anyone, let alone a terrorist criminal,” and accused Baerbock of “gaslighting.” He further contended that Germany was an “accomplice” in what he described as an “ongoing Israeli genocide,” referring to Germany’s alliance with Israel amidst rising tensions in Gaza and Lebanon.

 

This diplomatic clash represents one of Germany’s rare moves to close foreign consulates, indicating a serious deterioration in relations. Last year, Germany similarly directed Russia to close four of its five consulates following diplomatic restrictions imposed on German missions in Russia. Baerbock remarked that diplomatic relations with Iran had already been “at more than a low point” and reiterated Germany’s intent to advocate for the release of other German nationals detained in Iran. 

 

At a broader level, the execution has further strained Iran’s ties with the European Union. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated Tuesday that “the execution of a European citizen is seriously harming relations between Iran and the European Union.” He added that the EU would “now consider targeted and significant measures,” without specifying further details. Baerbock highlighted that the EU had recently imposed new sanctions on Iran and expressed support for designating Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.

 

Sharmahd’s family last received a message from him on July 28, 2020. Although the details surrounding his abduction remain unclear, tracking data indicated that his phone moved south from Dubai into Oman before the signal disappeared in Sohar. Two days later, Iranian authorities claimed to have captured Sharmahd in a “complex operation” and later released a photograph of him blindfolded.

 

The diplomatic response has intensified since then, with Germany even expelling two Iranian diplomats last year over Sharmahd’s initial death sentence. The case has reignited international debate over Iran’s treatment of dissidents and Germany’s stance against Iran’s approach to foreign relations and human rights abuses.

 

Based on a report by AP 2024-11-02