Germany has announced it will shut down all three of its Iranian consulates following the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian dual citizen. This decision was revealed by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a press conference on Thursday.
Sharmahd was executed in Iran on Monday. He had been accused of planning terrorist acts, including a deadly bombing at a mosque in Shiraz back in 2008 that killed 14 people and injured 200. The Iranian government claimed he was leading a group of exiles from the U.S. who wanted to overthrow Iran’s ruling government and restore the monarchy that was in power before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. After living in the U.S. for many years, he was arrested in the United Arab Emirates in 2020 and then taken to Iran for trial.
Baerbock expressed her anger at the execution, stating, “We have repeatedly and unequivocally made it clear to Tehran that the execution of a German citizen will have serious consequences.” She emphasized that Germany would not tolerate such actions and called for European Union sanctions against those responsible for Sharmahd’s death. The consulates being closed are located in Frankfurt, Munich, and Hamburg.
The news of Sharmahd’s execution has stirred up a lot of discussions. Baerbock described it as a horrific act, saying that Iran was “using death as a weapon.” Her comments highlighted the gravity of the situation and how it could affect Germany’s relationship with Iran.
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi defended the execution, stating that Sharmahd had led a terrorist attack that resulted in innocent lives lost and that being a German citizen did not protect someone from facing justice for their actions.
The situation has also drawn attention from the European Union. Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, condemned the execution and mentioned that the EU was considering taking action in response. However, Araghchi criticized the EU, suggesting that they should focus on more pressing issues, such as the ongoing violence in Gaza, instead of what he labeled as hypocrisy regarding Sharmahd’s case.
Germany’s closure of the consulates signifies a serious diplomatic rift between Germany and Iran, marking a significant moment in their relationship and raising questions about international responses to human rights issues. As this story unfolds, it reflects the complexities of global diplomacy and the impact of individual actions on international relations.
