Iran shuts German cultural centres

TEHRAN: Iran shut two offices linked to Germany´s government on Tuesday, the judiciary said, nearly a month after the closure of religious centre in Germany over ties to the Islamic republic.

“Two branches of illegal centres affiliated with the German government, which violated Iran laws, committed numerous illegal acts and extensive financial violations, were closed on Tuesday by order of the judicial authority,” the judiciary´s Mizan Online website said.

It added that “reports of violations by other German-affiliated centres” in Iran had been received and that investigations were ongoing.

Iran´s Nour news agency said the two establishments that were closed were offices of the Goethe-Institut, Germany´s government-funded cultural outreach organisation.

On July 24, Germany banned the Hamburg Islamic Centre over its alleged support for Lebanon´s Iran-backed Hezbollah group, as well its relations with the Islamic republic.

Following that move, Iran summoned the German ambassador to condemn what it called the “hostile action” and branded it a “clear example of Islamophobia”.

Germany´s interior ministry accused the centre of presenting itself as a purely religious organisation with no political agenda but said its probe had found the contrary to be true.

In a statement, the ministry said it “banned the Hamburg Islamic Centre and its affiliated organisations throughout Germany to date, as it is an Islamist extremist organisation pursuing anti-constitutional objectives”.