Iran Summons German Envoy Amid Tensions Over Espionage Convictions
Translated & summarized from Jüdische Allgemeine by baba
Iran summoned German Ambassador Axel Dittmann to protest German officials' stance and alleged espionage accusations. This followed Germany summoning Iran's ambassador after two men were convicted in Hamburg for spying and plotting attacks. The spies had surveilled prominent Jewish and German-Israeli figures. Iran also summoned the EU Ambassador to Tehran, protesting what it called "baseless" accusations.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Iran summoned German Ambassador Axel Dittmann to protest German officials' "contemptible stance."
- Germany had summoned Iran's ambassador following convictions for espionage and attempted attacks.
- Two men were convicted in Hamburg for surveilling Josef Schuster and Volker Beck.
- Iran also summoned the EU Ambassador to Tehran, Aidan Cronin, protesting "baseless" accusations.
- Iran accused Germany of using espionage charges to mask support for a "US-Israeli war against Iran."
Iran summoned the German Ambassador to Tehran, Axel Dittmann, to the Foreign Ministry to protest what it called the "contemptible stance of certain German officials" towards the Islamic Republic. Iranian state broadcaster Press TV quoted Generaldirektor Aliresa Jussefi as saying that accusations leveled against Iran in Germany were a maneuver by certain institutions to conceal German support for a "US-Israeli war against Iran." The German Foreign Office in Berlin confirmed the ambassador's summons.
This diplomatic escalation followed Germany's summoning of the Iranian ambassador earlier the same day. The German Foreign Office's action was a response to the recent conviction of two men in Hamburg for espionage activities on behalf of Iran, including attempted murder and arson. The court sentenced a 54-year-old man to eight and a half years in prison and a 43-year-old man to four and a half years.
The court found that the two men, who reside in Denmark, had surveilled Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews, and Volker Beck, President of the German-Israeli Society. Iran also summoned the EU Ambassador to Tehran, Aidan Cronin, who is also Ireland's ambassador as Ireland currently holds the EU presidency. Iran protested a series of "baseless" accusations against it, with Jussefi stating that the current situation in West Asia and the Persian Gulf resulted from the EU's "irresponsible policy."
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