Iran Shuts Goethe Institute in Retaliation for Germany Closing Hamburg Islamic Center

Iran's judiciary has ordered the closure of two branches of institutions it claims are illegally linked to the German government, weeks after Germany shut down the Islamic Center of Hamburg (IZH).

Tehran cited violations of Iranian laws and involvement in various illegal activities, including significant financial misconduct as the reason behind the move.

Among the institutions targeted is the Goethe Institute's office in Tehran, according to reports from Iranian media. Mizan, the judiciary's news agency, published images of the closures, and there are reports that other German-affiliated centers in Iran are also under investigation for similar violations.

These actions by Iran follow Germany's recent decision to shut down the Islamic Center of Hamburg (IZH) and associated organizations in July, accusing them of promoting extremism and Islamic ideology. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced that the IZH was banned for "pursuing radical Islamist objectives," and police conducted a search of the organization's well-known 'Blue Mosque.'

The head of Hamburg's IZH Islamic Center, Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh, allegedly received over 650 WhatsApp messages from Iranian official Mehdi Mostafavi between 2021 and 2023. The messages included instructions to frame Hamas's October 7 massacre in Israel as a courageous operation and natural response to Israel's alleged offenses against Palestinians.

In response to Germany's move, Iran summoned the German ambassador, condemning the closures as hostile and contrary to fundamental human rights principles. Iranian Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri Kani described the shutdown as a politically motivated action fueled by Islamophobia and serving the interests of the Zionist regime.