Germany closed three Iranian consulates in response to Iran’s execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian accused of terrorism, after a widely condemned trial. This move marks a major diplomatic downgrade, with EU support for further measures.

Germany ordered the closure of all three Iranian consulates in the country on Thursday in response to the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian dual citizen who lived in the United States. Sharmahd was kidnapped by Iranian security forces in Dubai in 2020 and was held on charges of terrorism.

Sharmahd, 69, was executed in Iran on Monday following a trial in 2023, which Germany, the U.S., and international rights groups widely condemned as a sham. In retaliation, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced the closure of the Iranian consulates in Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich, reducing Iran’s diplomatic presence in Germany to only its embassy in Berlin.

The German Foreign Ministry had already taken action earlier in the week by summoning Iran’s charge d’affaires to protest the execution. German Ambassador Markus Potzel, who voiced Germany’s objections directly to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, was subsequently recalled to Berlin for consultations.

Sharmahd’s case reflects a broader pattern of Iran’s actions against dissidents abroad, with several Iranian nationals who lived overseas being either deceived or forcibly brought back to Iran in recent years. These actions appear to have increased since the collapse of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, including Germany. Tehran accused Sharmahd, a resident of Glendora, California, of masterminding a 2008 bombing at a mosque that killed 14 people—including five women and a child—and injured over 200 others. They also charged him with plotting additional attacks in coordination with the little-known Kingdom Assembly of Iran and its militant wing, Tondar.

Iran additionally accused Sharmahd of disclosing sensitive information about missile sites operated by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard during a televised interview in 2017. Sharmahd's family, however, refuted these allegations and worked tirelessly for his release, arguing that the charges were unfounded.

Iran dismissed Germany’s criticisms. In a statement on social network X, Araghchi argued that holding a German passport did not grant impunity, even for what he referred to as a “terrorist criminal.” He accused Minister Baerbock of “gaslighting” and claimed Germany was complicit in what he described as an “ongoing Israeli genocide.” Germany, a steadfast ally of Israel, has publicly criticized Iranian aggression toward Israel amid the rising regional tensions due to conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

The decision to close Iranian consulates is a rare and significant diplomatic step for Germany, signaling a marked decline in already strained relations. Last year, Germany similarly ordered Russia to close four of its five consulates in Germany after Moscow imposed limits on staffing for Germany’s diplomatic missions in Russia.

The European Union also voiced strong disapproval. On Tuesday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell remarked that the execution of a European citizen posed a serious threat to EU-Iran relations. Borrell stated that the EU was contemplating “targeted and significant measures” in response, though he did not specify what these actions might entail.

Sharmahd was initially in Dubai in 2020, attempting to travel to India for a business matter related to his software company. Despite disruptions in global travel due to the coronavirus pandemic, he hoped to secure a connecting flight. Sharmahd’s family last heard from him on July 28, 2020, after which he was abducted under unclear circumstances. Tracking data indicated that Sharmahd’s phone moved south from Dubai to Al Ain on July 29, then crossed the border into Oman. On July 30, the phone’s signal was last detected in Sohar, Oman, where it then disappeared.

On August 1, Iran announced Sharmahd’s capture in a “complex operation,” with the Intelligence Ministry releasing an image showing him blindfolded. Following his death sentence last year, Germany expelled two Iranian diplomats in protest.