Germany complains that its citizen was executed in Iran, Scholz talks about the scandal

Germany recalled its ambassador to Iran for consultations. This was in response to Monday’s announcement of the execution of an opponent of the Iranian government, Jamshid Sharmahd, who, in addition to his Iranian citizenship, also had German citizenship. The German Foreign Ministry also summoned a representative from the Iranian embassy in Berlin in protest. The execution of the death penalty was criticized by leading German politicians, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said it was a scandal. Executioner’s daughter wants “severe punishment” for Tehran.

“The execution of Jamshid Sharmahd by the Iranian regime is a scandal that I condemn in the strongest terms,” said tonight on the X Scholz network. According to him, the man did not even get the chance to defend himself against the accusations that Tehran brought against him.

The federal government has been campaigning hard for Mr. Sharmahd again.
My deepest sympathy goes out to his family. (2/2)

– Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (@Federal Chancellor)
October 28, 2024

Sharmahd faced charges for leading the Tondar royalist group, which the Iranian regime says was responsible for a 2008 massacre that killed at least 14 people. According to Tehran, the group was planning to carry out more attacks in Iran. The arrest of Sharmahd “during a complex operation” was announced by the Iranian authorities in 2020. It seems that the Iranian secret services kidnapped the man in Dubai. He was sentenced to death last spring. His relatives and acquaintances, as well as human rights groups, rejected the accusations brought against him by Iran.

The Tondar group, or the Royal Iranian Assembly, is based in Los Angeles and is trying to restore the monarchy that was destroyed in Iran in the 1979 revolution. The group runs opposition refugee radio and television stations.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced on Monday that it was a murder, which shows once again how the inhumane regime rules in Tehran. She recalled that Berlin had previously warned of “dire consequences” if the death penalty was carried out. The German foreign ministry said today that it has summoned the head of the Iranian embassy in Berlin to present a “strong protest”. At the same time, he kept “additional measures” in reserve. They called the German ambassador in Tehran, Markus Potzel, to the homeland for consultations.

Today, in response to the execution of Sharmahd, the chairman of the strongest opposition party CDU/CSU, Friedrich Merz, demanded that the head of the Iranian representation in Germany be dismissed. Also on X network he askedfor the German government to appeal for the tightening of sanctions against Iran, which should include people from the Iranian prosecutor’s office, judges and security forces.

Sharmahd’s daughter, Gazelle, who lives in the United States, called on Germany to help transport her father’s body if his death is confirmed. “We do not want any statements or condolences that do not include the immediate return of my father (dead or alive) and severe punishment for the murderers of the Islamic regime,” she said on X. Gazelle Sharmahdová blames the German and American governments for long-term inaction in the case of her father, who had a residence permit in the US.

Today, the head of diplomacy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, condemned the execution of an Iranian-German citizen. “The EU is considering measures to take in response,” he wrote.

Sharmahd’s execution could worsen the relationship between Germany and Iran. Already after the decision was announced last year, Berlin expelled two Iranian diplomats, and later Tehran expelled two employees of the German embassy. Judge Abolkás Salvátí, who sentenced Sharmahd to death last year, is on the EU and US sanctions list. According to the DPA, he is known as “Judge Death”.