
Police officers are pictured during a search of the "Blue Mosque", housing the Islamic Centre of Hamburg, northern Germany, on July 24, 2024, after a ban by the Interior Ministry following several months of investigation over its alleged support for Lebanon's Hezbollah group and its links to Iran. (Credit: Hamburg AFP)
Tehran said it summoned the German ambassador on Wednesday after the closure of an Islamic center in Hamburg over alleged support for Lebanon's Hezbollah and links to Iran.
"Following the action of the German police which closed a number of Islamic centers, the German ambassador was summoned today to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the ministry said in a statement on social media platform X.
Germany's Interior Ministry said it had "banned the Hamburg Islamic Centre and its affiliated organizations throughout Germany to date, as it is an Islamist extremist organization pursuing anti-constitutional objectives."
It accused the center of presenting itself as a purely religious organization with no political agenda but said its probe had found the contrary to be true.
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned Germany's "hostile action" and said it was "contrary to the fundamental human rights principles."
"Unfortunately, what happened in Germany today is a clear example of Islamophobia and a confrontation to the teachings of the Abrahamic religions," it said.
The ministry hailed the "valuable and unforgettable services of Islamic centers, including the Hamburg Islamic Centre, in explaining the religious teachings of Islam, promoting the principle of dialogue and religious tolerance, as well as combating extremism."