Masked assailants attack Iranian “political activist” in Berlin
Berlin police say an Iranian political activist was attacked by three masked assailants in the city. The assailants threatened the victim in Persian. Berlin's intelligence police are investigating the incident.
According to Berlin police, a 47-year-old Iranian man was beaten by three masked assailants in Berlin's Steglitz neighborhood last Wednesday (February 1). The man told police that the attackers called him by name and spoke in Persian.
In a statement, Berlin police said the attack occurred at 02:30 on Wednesday evening, January 30. The victim, an Iranian “political activist,” told Berlin police that the attack was likely related to his political activities.
The Berlin Intelligence Police (Combating Terrorist Activities) is responsible for investigating the incident and a case has been opened. Berlin police told DW Persian in a telephone call that they could not provide further details about the incident at this time.
According to the victim, the attackers threatened him in Persian and injured him with punches and kicks. Police also confirmed that the victim was injured in the attack.
Organized attack or action by “arbitrary forces”
Reuters also reported on February 4 that the attack could have a "negative impact" on the Islamic Republic's relations with the European Union if the attackers were linked to Iranian security officials.
In recent months, several European countries have expelled several Iranian diplomats. Asadollah Asadi, an employee of the Iranian embassy in Austria, was arrested in Germany on charges of terrorist activities and then transferred to Belgium. Meanwhile, even the Iranian ambassador to Albania was expelled from the country on charges of supporting terrorist activities.
Ali Majedi, Iran’s former ambassador to Germany, also did not rule out “arbitrary operations” by forces affiliated with the Islamic Republic abroad in an interview with ISNA news agency in recent weeks. Majedi had explicitly said about actions against opponents of the Islamic Republic: “We are facing an issue like ‘arbitrary operations’ inside the country. Can we deny that examples of these events are not occurring abroad as well?”
According to Majidi, the Europeans have provided documents regarding the Islamic Republic's activities to assassinate opponents abroad that cannot be "easily" dismissed.
France, Denmark and the Netherlands have previously accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of terrorist activities on their soil. On Sunday, February 3, the European Union issued a 12-point statement, one of the main issues of which was Iran's terrorist activities on European soil. In this statement, European countries have stated that they will not show "flexibility" in the face of Iran's terrorist activities.
Source: DW
