1-11-2024 (BERLIN) Germany has taken dramatic diplomatic action against Iran, announcing the closure of all three Iranian consulates on German soil in response to Tehran’s execution of German-Iranian national Jamshid Sharmahd.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking from New York, declared that bilateral relations had reached an unprecedented low point, though Tehran’s main embassy will remain operational. The minister strongly criticised Iran’s apparent use of hostage diplomacy, suggesting the execution was partly motivated by Germany’s support for Israel in the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The decision prompted an immediate diplomatic response from Tehran, with Iranian authorities summoning Germany’s chargé d’affaires to protest what they termed an “unjust” closure order. This latest development follows Germany’s earlier recall of its ambassador to Iran and formal protest to Iranian diplomats over Sharmahd’s execution.

Iranian state media confirmed Sharmahd’s execution on Monday, following his conviction on terrorism charges. However, the German government has consistently disputed the legitimacy of these proceedings.

The case has highlighted broader concerns about Iran’s detention of foreign nationals. Human rights organisation HAWAR, while supporting the consulate closures, has urged more robust action from Berlin to secure the release of other German citizens, particularly 70-year-old Nahid Taghavi, detained since October 2020.

“Several German citizens remain unjustly detained,” Baerbock noted, pledging continued efforts for their release. She also called for the European Union to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organisation, signalling a potential escalation in diplomatic pressure.