Iran Protests German Ban on Islamic Centre Hamburg

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned the German ambassador to Tehran in response to Germany's recent prohibition of the Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH). This move, confirmed by the German Foreign Office on Wednesday, reflects rising diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

The IZH, which German domestic intelligence has labeled as extremist and allegedly under Iranian control, was banned by German authorities. The ban also extends to five affiliated organizations.

In a coordinated operation early Wednesday, German police conducted searches at the IZH’s headquarters located within the Imam Ali Mosque in Hamburg, also known as the Blue Mosque. They executed similar raids on properties associated with the IZH across eight other states, including Bremen, Berlin, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Bavaria.

Dozens of officers were deployed to secure the Imam Ali Mosque, while additional raids targeted a Shiite organization’s premises in Berlin's Tempelhof district. The Interior Ministry reported that a total of 53 locations were searched in connection with the enforcement of the ban.