Iran’s hardline judiciary has reportedly sentenced an Iranian-German national to death over charges of terrorism. The Iranian-German national was accused of leading a pro-monarchist group that was allegedly responsible for a bombing in 2008 and planning other attacks on Iran.
On Tuesday, the Iranian judiciary’s Mizan news outlet reported that Iranian-German Jamshid Sharmahd, who also has US residency, was sentenced to death on charges of “corruption on earth.” The outlet said that the judiciary’s verdict can still be appealed in the Iranian Supreme Court.
Sharmahd’s arrest was announced in 2020 in a statement by the Iranian intelligence ministry. At the time, the ministry described Sharmahd as the “ringleader of the terrorist Tondar group, who directed armed and terrorist acts in Iran from America.” The Tondar group, also known as the Kingdom Assembly of Iran and based in Los Angeles, seeks to restore the Iranian monarchy that was overthrown during the 1979 Revolution and runs pro-Iranian opposition radio and television stations overseas.
Following the death sentencing of Sharmahd, the German foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the country has now declared two employees of the Iranian embassy persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country immediately in response to the verdict given to Sharmahd. Berlin has also summoned Iran’s Charge d’Affaires over the issue, according to foreign minister Annalena Baerbock in a statement.
“He was informed that we do not accept the massive violation of the rights of a German citizen,” said the statement. “We call on Iran to revoke Jamshid Sharmahd’s death sentence and provide him with a fair appeal process based on the rule of law.”
On the day of the sentencing, Baerbock said the verdict was “absolutely unacceptable” and that Sharmahd was denied a fair trial and the ministry refused consular access.
Meanwhile, Tehran has blamed the United States for delaying a prisoner swap deal following reports that progress was finally made after a months-long pause. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani told reporters on Monday that Washington “showed bad faith” as the deal was close to being made.
Iran and the US have been engaging since 2021 over prisoners that are being detained on charges of espionage and evading sanctions.