In response to the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a dual Iranian-German national, Germany shut down three Iranian consulates located in Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich on Thursday. Sharmahd was executed in Iran on terrorism charges on Tuesday, with the sentence being widely condemned by Germany, the United States, and numerous international human rights organizations, who have criticized the trial as lacking legitimacy and due process.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced the consulate closures, stating that these actions reflect a severe deterioration in diplomatic relations, which she characterized as being “at more than a low point.” She criticized the Iranian regime and reiterated a warning that serious consequences would result from the execution of a German citizen. The German Foreign Ministry had summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires earlier in the week to express its condemnation of Sharmahd’s execution.

The closures mean that Iran now maintains only its embassy in Berlin, which remains operational. Baerbock’s announcement followed a series of diplomatic protests, including the recall of the German ambassador to Iran.

Remarking that the closures of the consulates only act as a sanction against innocent Iranians residing in Germany, Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi criticized the decision on Friday.

Iranian security forces abducted Sharmahd in Dubai in 2020 while he was en route to India. His family contested the Iranian government’s allegations that he orchestrated a deadly 2008 mosque bombing, which resulted in 14 deaths, including five women and a child.

The execution may have implications for EU-Iran relations, with EU Foreign Policy Chief Joseph Borell indicating that the EU “is considering measures in response”. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Tehran and Western nations, particularly amid current geopolitical conflicts involving Iran’s actions in the Middle East.