Death sentence against German-Iranians: Foreign Office summons Iranian envoy

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German-Iranian Jamshid Sharmahd sentenced to death at his trial in Tehran

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Koosha Mahshid Falahi / AP

In reaction to the death sentence against the German-Iranian Jamshid Sharmahd, the Federal Foreign Office summoned Tehran's envoy.

Sharmahd was sentenced to death by a Tehran court on Tuesday.

In talks with the Iranian diplomat, the Foreign Ministry wants to make it clear that the German government believes that the death penalty is completely unacceptable.

Parallel to the summoning, Berlin wants to discuss possible further punitive measures against Iran today with Great Britain, the USA and France.

Expulsion of the Iranian ambassador under consideration

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had described the verdict against the dual national on Tuesday as "absolutely unacceptable" and announced a "clear reaction".

Further bilateral steps are currently being considered at the Foreign Office, including the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador and the downgrading of diplomatic relations.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz had already publicly called for this step.

"The federal government, Europe, the USA and the United Nations must put Iran in its place - with every means available to the free world," said Merz.

However, the highest representative of Tehran in Germany returned to Iran a few days ago anyway.

He wanted to protest against the appearance of Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the Shah, who was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979, at the Munich Security Conference.

Iran sanctions against individuals and companies in the EU

In addition, the regime in Tehran imposed sanctions on more than 30 companies and individuals from the European Union.

The list also includes members of the Bundestag Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU), Renata Alt (FDP) and Michael Roth (SPD).

You had recently been critical of the ongoing, violent crackdown on protests against the country's leadership.

Tehran accuses them of "supporting terrorism, interfering in the country's internal affairs and inciting violence and unrest in Iran."

On Monday, the EU foreign ministers tightened their sanctions against Tehran because of the ongoing violence against demonstrators in Iran.

They placed 32 other Iranian leaders and two organizations with property and entry bans.

The EU holds those affected responsible, among other things, for the suppression of freedom of expression and the recent series of executions in Iran.

The regime in Tehran announced the arrest of the German-Iranian Sharmahd in August 2020.

According to his family, the 67-year-old, who last lived in the United States, was kidnapped by the Iranian secret service during a stopover in Dubai and taken to Iran.

His trial began in February 2022.

Born in Tehran, Sharmahd grew up in Germany and emigrated to the United States in 2003.

He is a member of the opposition group Tondar (English: Thunder), also known as the Kingdom Assembly of Iran.

She rejects the political system of the Islamic Republic of Iran and supports the reintroduction of the monarchy in the country.

Shortly after the arrest, his daughter denied all allegations against her father in a SPIEGEL interview and asked the federal government for help.

Since then, the German embassy in Tehran has repeatedly tried to visit Sharmahd in prison and provide him with a lawyer.

However, the regime in Tehran refused, and German diplomats were also denied access to the court process.