Last Update: March 01, 2023, 19:34 IST
Germany announced last week that it was expelling two Iranian diplomats in response to the death sentence against Jamshed Sharma, a dual citizen who is also a US resident. (File photo: Reuters)
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said the order was given to the two diplomats in response to “interference by the German government” in Iran’s internal and judicial affairs.
Iran on Wednesday ordered the expulsion of two German diplomats in a tit-for-tat move, following a similar move by Berlin in response to the death sentence against the dual citizen.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said the order was given to the two diplomats in response to “interference by the German government” in Iran’s internal and judicial affairs.
Germany announced last week that it was expelling two Iranian diplomats in response to the death sentence against Jamshed Sharma, a dual citizen who is also a US resident.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the time, “The Iranian regime is fighting its own people in every possible way and shows no respect for human rights.”
Germany criticized Iran’s retaliatory move on Wednesday.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman in Berlin said, “His expulsion is arbitrary and unfair, he has done nothing wrong.”
Sharmahad, 67, was convicted of playing a role in a 2008 mosque bombing in the southern city of Shiraz that killed 14 people and injured 300.
His family has strongly rejected the allegations and called on Berlin to take “immediate action” to save “his life”.
Iranian courts do not recognize dual citizenship.
The judiciary stated that Sharmahad had planned to carry out 23 “terrorist” acts, of which he was successful in five.
Prosecutors alleged that he had established contact with “FBI and CIA officials” and “attempted to contact Israeli Mossad agents”.
He is accused of leading the Tondar group, which aims to topple the Islamic Republic and has been declared as a “terrorist” organization by the government.
Iran is holding at least 17 Western citizens, most of them dual citizens, including Sharma.
Human rights groups say they are part of a policy of hostage-taking by Iran to extract concessions from foreign governments.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)