Iran summons German envoy to protest 'unjustified' closure of consulates
Iran has summoned German charge d’affaires in Tehran in protest against the European country’s "irrational" decision to shut the missions of the Islamic Republic and deprive Iranians of consular services.
The director of the First Department for Western Europe at the Iranian Foreign Ministry called in the diplomat on Thursday to relay Tehran's "strong protest" and condemn Berlin's "destructive approach" towards the Iranian people, including those residing in Germany.
It came hours after German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced that the Iranian consulates in the cities of Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich are to be closed over the execution of convicted terrorist Jamshid Sharmahd.
"The decision by the German government to stop the activities of the consulates of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Germany is an unjustified act," the Iranian foreign ministry said in a press release.
The move, it added, "deliberately deprives Iranians of the benefit of consular facilities and services" while "causes unnecessary trouble for Iranians residing in Germany and violates their basic rights."
On Monday, Iran's Judiciary executed Sharmahd, the ringleader of a US-based terror group behind a series of deadly attacks against the Iranian nation.
Germany protested to Iran by recalling its ambassador to Tehran and summoning the Iranian charge d’affaires in Berlin.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said granting a German passport to an individual does not provide impunity, let alone a terrorist criminal.
Announcing the closures of the Iranian consulates, Baerbock said, "We repeatedly made it crystal clear to Tehran that the execution of a German national would have serious consequences."
In its press release, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said Baerbock's "meddlesome" and "unprofessional" statement lacks decency and legal value, noting that Berlin's "unconstructive and confrontational approach is a major miscalculation, and the German government will be responsible for its consequences."
It also condemned the German government's disrespect for international law, as well as any support for terrorism and the killing of innocent people.
Iran says own aircraft used for 'responsible' pullout from Syria
‘Fridays of Rage’: Iranians rally against Israeli atrocities, silence of supporters
Iran dismisses UK, Australia’s ‘baseless’ claims, urges end to interventions in West Asia
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
VIDEO | Iran honors top Science Olympiad medalists
VIDEO | Austrians arrested at Gaza protest in Vienna
10 killed in bus crash in western Iran
VIDEO | One-man-band journalism with Civili
5 Israeli forces killed as Palestinian fighters face up to regime’s war machine
VIDEO | An insider's view of the country: Persian Tahini, Royan in Mazandaran
VIDEO | Israeli settler killed during strike against Tel Aviv; fresh aggression targets Yemen’s capital
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
