BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany will shut all three Iranian consulates in Germany but allow the embassy to remain open in reaction to the execution of a German-Iranian national, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.
“Our diplomatic relations are already more than at a low point,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in New York.
Germany has already recalled its ambassador to Iran over Sharmahd’s execution and summoned the Iranian charge d’affaires to voice Berlin’s protest.
Baerbock condemned Iran for playing politics with hostages, and accused Tehran of trying to use Germany’s support for Israel in the widening Middle East conflict to justify Sharmahd’s killing.
“Further Germans are also being unfairly held. We are also deeply committed to them and continue to work tirelessly for their release,” she said.
The minister also called on the European Union to add Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to its list of terrorist groups.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by Rachel More)
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