Germany Recalls Iranian Ambassador Amid Convictions in Alleged Tehran-Linked Assassination Scheme

• A Danish and an Afghan national were found guilty by a Hamburg court in connection with the plot.
• The scheme was reportedly backed by Iranian intelligence services.

Updated 7 min 54 sec ago

October 19, 2026 18:00

Berlin – Germany summoned the Iranian ambassador on Monday following the conviction of two individuals last week in connection with an alleged assassination plot targeting pro-Israeli figures, which Berlin has attributed to state-sponsored interference by Tehran.

A Hamburg regional court found a Danish citizen and an Afghan national guilty of orchestrating and supporting a plan aimed at eliminating high-profile advocates of Israel, including the leader of Germany’s largest Jewish community organization and the head of a German-Israeli society. Prosecutors described the operation as part of a broader campaign directed by Iranian intelligence.

In a statement posted on X, Germany’s foreign ministry confirmed that the Iranian ambassador had been formally summoned, emphasizing, “Tehran cannot threaten our free society.” The ministry further warned, “The malicious assassination attempts will have legal consequences,” and reiterated its commitment to safeguarding Jewish life, stating, “We do not tolerate attacks on Jewish life and those who defend it — anywhere, and certainly not in Germany.”

The Danish suspect, identified in court documents only as Ali Hassan S., received a sentence of eight and a half years in prison. Prosecutors revealed that the 54-year-old operative worked directly under Iranian intelligence directives and was assigned to conduct surveillance on potential targets across Germany, including plans for assassinations and arson attacks. Among those targeted was a Jewish-owned grocery store in Berlin.

The Afghan individual, convicted as an accomplice, was sentenced to four and a half years behind bars. Court proceedings disclosed that he attempted to enlist a third party to carry out an attack against the head of the German-Israeli society and sought to secure a weapon for the intended operation. Both men were arrested in Denmark in the previous year before being extradited to Germany for trial.

During the sentencing, the presiding judge condemned the defendants for engaging in “terrorist activities orchestrated by Iran,” underscoring the transnational nature of the threat. Following the verdicts, the Iranian Embassy in Berlin issued a formal rebuttal, dismissing the charges as “unfounded allegations made at the behest of Iran’s enemies.”

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