Germany Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Assassination Plot Against Jewish Leaders

Germany summoned Iran's ambassador to Berlin for a reprimand following the exposure of an assassination attempt targeting two prominent Jewish figures. The German Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that the ambassador was called in after revelations of a plot to kill Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Volker Beck, chairman of the German-Israeli Friendship Society. This diplomatic action comes four days after a German court sentenced two men involved in planning the assassination. The court determined that one of the men acted under the direction of Iranian intelligence services.

In a statement on X, the German Foreign Ministry declared that German authorities will not tolerate attempts to harm Jewish leaders or those who protect the Jewish community. "We do not tolerate attacks against Jewish life or against those who defend it, anywhere, and certainly not in Germany," the statement read. The ministry emphasized that the attempts to harm Schuster and Beck would have legal consequences and directly criticized Tehran, stating, "We condemn Iran's activities in the strongest possible terms. We will not allow Iran to threaten our free society."

The diplomatic move follows significant developments in the legal proceedings against those involved. Four days prior to the ambassador's summons, a German court sentenced Ali S., identified as a Danish citizen, to eight and a half years in prison for preparing an assassination and aggravated arson. The court found that in early 2025, Ali S. was tasked with gathering information on Schuster and Beck and monitoring two Jewish grocery stores in Berlin. The court also established that one of the individuals involved was directed by Iran's intelligence service. Another individual, Tawab M., identified as an Afghan citizen, received a four and a half year sentence for his role in the plot.

Alongside these legal and diplomatic steps, the German Foreign Ministry recalled that Germany has previously advocated for the inclusion of those behind Iranian assassination attempts worldwide, as well as Iran's Revolutionary Guards, on the European Union's terror list.