Germany Strikes Back: Two Iranian Consulates Shut Down in Wake of “Sharmahad” Execution

Germany will close two Iranian consulates in the country, but will allow the embassy to remain open in response to Tehran’s execution of a German citizen of Iranian origin, the German Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Germany has announced that it is working with the European Union to impose additional sanctions on Iran.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Bierbock said, “I call on Brussels to add Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to the EU’s terrorism list.”

A German foreign ministry spokesman said on Wednesday that the execution of Iranian-born German citizen Jamshid Sharmahd “severely” damaged relations between the two countries.

Germany summoned its ambassador to Iran over Sharmahad’s execution and also Iran’s charge d’affaires to convey Berlin’s strong protest against the execution.

The German ambassador left Iran on Wednesday morning, the spokesman said.

“We have sent our strong protest against the actions of the Iranian regime and reserve our right to take additional measures,” the ministry added in a post on the X social media platform.

The publication said that the German ambassador in Tehran addressed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to express the strongest protest against Sharmahd’s execution, adding that the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Bierbock, then summoned the ambassador in Berlin for consultation.

Iranian media reported on Monday that Iran had sentenced Sharmahd to death after he was found guilty of carrying out the terror attack.

“No terrorist will go unpunished in Iran, even if he is supported by Germany,” Arakchi said in a post on the X platform on Tuesday.

He added, “Iranian citizen Jamshid Sharmahad openly and brazenly led a terrorist attack on a mosque, resulting in the death of 14 innocent people.”

Iranian state media reported that the foreign ministry summoned the German ambassador and drew his attention to “statements involving interference in the country’s affairs” by German officials against the decision of Iran’s judiciary.

“Supporting Sharmahd contradicts the German government’s claims about the rule of law, protecting human rights and fighting terrorism,” state media quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

Sharmahd, who also holds US residency, was sentenced to death in 2023 for “spreading corruption in the world”, a crime punishable by death under Iranian law.

Iran accuses him of leading a pro-monarchy group accused of planning a deadly 2008 bombing and other attacks in the country.

His daughter Ghazala Sharmad claimed