Iran’s embassy in Berlin swiftly rejects allegation after man is arrested in neighbouring Denmark.
A Danish man has been arrested on suspicion of spying in Germany on behalf of Iran, an allegation swiftly denied by the Iranian embassy in Berlin.
German prosecutors on Tuesday mentioned the person, recognized solely as Ali S beneath German privateness regulation, was suspected of conducting the surveillance “in preparation of additional intelligence actions in Germany, probably together with terrorist assaults on Jewish targets”.
It added that the person was suspected of receiving the espionage orders from “an Iranian intelligence service”.
German and Danish authorities mentioned the person had been arrested in Denmark however can be extradited to Germany.
The Iranian embassy in Berlin decried what it known as “unfounded and harmful accusations”.
“Earlier discussions with related German authorities have already highlighted that sure third events are trying to divert public perceptions from the precise occasions via synthetic staging,” the embassy mentioned in a press release.
In the meantime, Germany’s overseas minister, Johann Wadephul, mentioned Iran’s ambassador had been summoned after the arrest.
“If this suspicion have been confirmed, it could be an outrageous incident that might as soon as once more show that Iran is a menace to Jews everywhere in the world,” Wadephul mentioned throughout a go to to Odesa, Ukraine, shortly after visiting a synagogue there.
Alleged spying
In accordance with Germany’s Der Spiegel journal, the suspect took photographs of not less than three buildings in Berlin in June.
They included the headquarters of the German-Israeli Society, which has lobbied the European Union to record Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a “terrorist” organisation, and a constructing the place the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, was mentioned to often keep.
Der Spiegel reported that investigators imagine the suspect was engaged on behalf of the Quds Pressure, the overseas operations arm of the IRGC.
He was arrested within the Danish metropolis of Aarhus by native police final week and was awaiting extradition to Germany.
In the course of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned his nation was getting ready “in case Iran targets Israeli or Jewish establishments”.
He didn’t present additional particulars on the time.
Berlin has been a key ally of Israel and vocally supported the assaults on Iran, which started with shock strikes on June 13.