Iran summons German ambassador after espionage court rulings
Iran summons German envoy over espionage court rulings that sentenced two men to prison.
Key facts
- Iran summoned German ambassador Axel Dittmann on 19 October 2026.
- The summons followed German court convictions of two men for spying on behalf of Iran.
- The Hanseatic Regional Court in Hamburg sentenced a 54‑year‑old to 8.5 years and a 43‑year‑old to 4.5 years.
- The men were alleged to have spied on Josef Schuster and Volker Beck and to have planned murder and arson.
- Iran also summoned the EU ambassador in Tehran, Irish ambassador Aidan Cronin.
Iran summoned German ambassador Axel Dittmann on 19 October 2026, according to the German Foreign Office and Iranian state media.
The summons followed court rulings in Germany that convicted two men of espionage for Iranian intelligence.
The Hanseatic Regional Court in Hamburg sentenced a 54‑year‑old to 8.5 years and a 43‑year‑old to 4.5 years in prison.
The men were alleged to have spied on the president of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, and the president of the German‑Israeli Society, Volker Beck, and to have planned murder and arson.
Iran also summoned the EU ambassador in Tehran, Irish ambassador Aidan Cronin, to protest what it calls "groundless" accusations.
The Iranian foreign ministry director Aliresa Jussefi said the accusations against Iran were a maneuver to conceal German support for the US‑Israel war.
Context
The summons follows German court decisions that convicted two men of spying for Iran. Iran views the accusations as part of a broader diplomatic dispute.
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