# Germany Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Alleged Assassination Plot

> Germany called in Iran's envoy after a court convicted two men for plotting to kill pro-Israel figures, finding the plot was orchestrated by Iran.

By PrimaryBrief newsroom · Published 2026-10-20T14:53:51.252279Z
Canonical: https://primarybrief.com/article/germany-summons-iranian-ambassador-over-alleged-assassination-plot-de0cbf7a

Germany summoned Iranian ambassador Majid Nili Ahmadabadi on October 19, 2026, after a Hamburg court convicted two men of planning to assassinate prominent pro-Israel figures, finding the plot was orchestrated by Iran [1][7][8]. The German Foreign Ministry stated that Tehran would not be allowed to "threaten our free society" [8][11][13].

This diplomatic action demonstrates heightened tensions between Germany and Iran stemming from allegations of state-sponsored terrorism on German soil. These events affect Germany's Jewish community and those who publicly support Israel, signaling a direct threat to civil society and international relations.

## What the Records Show
A Hamburg court convicted Danish national Ali Hassan S. and an Afghan national on October 15, 2026, for their roles in plotting to kill Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Volker Beck, head of the German-Israeli Society [8][11][12][15][17][20][21]. Prosecutors stated that Ali Hassan S., 54, worked directly for Iranian intelligence, scouting targets in Germany for assassinations and arson attacks [11][15]. Evidence presented in court indicated that Ali Hassan S. traveled to Iran multiple times, where he met with intelligence and security operatives from the Revolutionary Guards, including Ali Heydari and Kazem Mohammadi, who provided him with instructions [22].

Ali Hassan S. received a sentence of eight and a half years in prison [8][11][13][15][22]. The Afghan national, who was recruited as an accomplice, was sentenced to four and a half years [8][11][13][15][22]. The court heard that the Afghan national agreed to recruit a third man and provide him with a weapon for an attack on the head of the German-Israeli society [11][15]. The judge in the case stated that the two men were guilty of "terrorist activities orchestrated by Iran" [8][11][15][22][23]. Beyond targeting specific individuals, prosecutors also claimed Ali Hassan S. had been planning to target a Jewish grocer's shop in Berlin [11][15]. Both men were convicted in Germany after their arrest in Denmark last year and subsequent extradition [8][11][13][15].

## The Timeline
Last year, Ali Hassan S. and the Afghan national were arrested in Denmark and later extradited to Germany [8][11][15].

On October 15, 2026, a Hamburg court convicted the two men for their involvement in the assassination plot [20][21].

On Monday, October 19, 2026, Germany's Foreign Ministry summoned Iranian Ambassador Majid Nili Ahmadabadi to Berlin over the alleged plots [1][7][8][10][11][12][15][17][18][19].

Later that same day, Iran's foreign ministry summoned Germany's ambassador to Tehran, Axel Dittmann, in a retaliatory move [6][8][13].

## What Changed and For Whom
Germany's decision to summon the Iranian ambassador signals a strong condemnation of the alleged plot and the court's findings linking it to Iranian intelligence [7][8][11][12][15][17]. The German Foreign Ministry publicly declared that "The malicious assassination attempts... will have legal consequences" and that Germany would "not tolerate attacks on Jewish life and on those who defend it anywhere, and certainly not in Germany" [8][11][13][15]. This diplomatic step indicates a hardening stance against perceived state-sponsored threats within Germany's borders and aims to reassure Jewish communities and pro-Israel advocates of their safety [8][11][13][15][17]. The move also sparked a tit-for-tat diplomatic response from Iran.

## What the Subject Has Said Publicly
The Iranian foreign ministry, in response to Germany's actions, described the allegations as "baseless accusations" and "baseless political allegations" [6][8]. Iran accused Berlin of leveling these accusations to divert attention from what it called the German government's involvement in "US-Israeli military aggression against Iran" [9]. When the two men were initially charged, the Iranian embassy in Berlin released a statement rejecting the accusations, calling them "unfounded allegations made at the behest of Iran's enemies" [8][11][13][15]. Iran's foreign ministry also stated that attempting to provide a judicial face to baseless political claims failed to lend credibility to such allegations and undermined the standing of the German judiciary itself [8].

## What we could not confirm
The specific details of the Afghan national's identity, beyond his nationality, were not confirmed. The exact date of the arrests in Denmark and subsequent extradition to Germany was not confirmed. The precise nature of the alleged "US-Israeli military aggression against Iran" mentioned by Iran's foreign ministry was not confirmed.

## Evidence cited
1. Tehran rejects any role in plot to kill leaders of German Jewish groups (www.aljazeera.com) — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/19/tehran-rejects-any-role-in-plot-to-kill-leaders-of-jewish-groups?traffic_source=rss
2. For Israelis and Jews in the U.A.E., an Eroding Sense of Security (www.nytimes.com) — https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/19/world/middleeast/israel-uae-jews-dubai-fear.html
3. People scour strait of Hormuz for spilt cargo after Iran attacks container ships (www.theguardian.com) — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/19/strait-of-hormuz-spilt-cargo-iran-attacks-container-ships
4. Trump Endorses Netanyahu Days Before Israeli Election as Iran War Tests Friendship (time.com) — https://time.com/article/2026/10/19/trump-netanyahu-israel-election-endorsement/
5. Iran’s ‘Anti-Imperialism’ Is a Dead End (www.theatlantic.com) — https://www.theatlantic.com/international/2026/10/west-iran-economy-us/689039/?utm_source=feed
6. Germany summons Iranian envoy (dawn.com) — https://dawn.com/
7. Germany summons Iranian envoy over alleged attack plots against pro-Israel figures (apa.az) — https://apa.az/
8. Iran summons German ambassador in tit-for-tat move over accusations of assassination plots (arabnews.com) — https://arabnews.com/
9. (October 19 2026) The allegations and summoning of the Iranian ambassador aim to “divert attention” from the German government's involvement in the US-Israeli military aggression against Iran, the Iranian ministry claimed, warning that Berlin would bear legal responsibility. (thenewregion.com) — https://thenewregion.com/
10. (July 01 2025) BERLIN. Germany on Tuesday summoned the Iranian ambassador over alleged espionage activities after authorities arrested a foreign national for gathering intelligence on Jewish targets. The Foreign Ministry said the Iranian envoy Majid Nili Ahmadabadi was summoned to express Germany's serious concerns about the case, which has further strained relations between Berlin and Tehran. "If these allegations prove true, it would be an outrageous act that would once again demonstrate that  (aa.com.tr) — https://aa.com.tr/
11. Germany summons Iranian ambassador after court jails 2 men over plot to assassinate pro-Israeli figures (alarabiya.net) — https://alarabiya.net/
12. Berlin summons Iran's ambassador over alleged assassination plots (azernews.az) — https://azernews.az/
13. Iran summons German ambassador in retaliatory move after Berlin recalls its envoy (kurdistan24.net) — https://kurdistan24.net/
14. Iran Summons German, Irish Ambassadors (www.saba.ye) — https://www.saba.ye/
15. Germany summons Iranian ambassador over 'malicious plot' to kill pro-Israeli figures (lorientlejour.com) — https://lorientlejour.com/
16. Germany summons Iranian ambassador (nampa.org) — https://nampa.org/
17. (October 19 2026) Germany summoned Iran's ambassador on Monday, four days after a court sentenced two men for plotting to assassinate Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany.. The German Foreign Ministry announced the diplomatic summons on X, identifying Volker Beck, Chairman of the German-Israeli Society, as another target. “We do not tolerate attacks on Jewish life or on those who defend it, not anywhere, and certainly not in Germany,” the ministry wrote. “The malic (combatantisemitism.org) — https://combatantisemitism.org/
18. (October 19 2026) Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, Iran's Ambassador to Germany, gives an interview to AFP at the Iranian embassy in Berlin on March 19, 2026. (photo credit: John MACDOUGALL / AFP via Getty Images) ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM OCTOBER 19, 2026 12:21 Updated: ... Iran summoned Germany's ambassador to the foreign ministry over what it described as "baseless accusations," Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Tasnim News Agency reported on Monday. Reuters contributed to this report. See  (jpost.com) — https://jpost.com/
19. (October 19 2026) The German Foreign Ministry on Monday, October 19, 2026, summoned the Islamic Republic's ambassador in Berlin following the conviction o ... (iranwire.com) — https://iranwire.com/
20. Condannati due uomini in Germania per un complotto di omicidio collegato all'Iran – Reuters (internazionale.it) — https://internazionale.it/
21. German Court Sentences Two Men for Plotting Assassinations of Jewish Leader, German-Israeli Society Head on Behalf of Iran (ground.news) — https://ground.news/
22. German court jails two men over spying for Iran's Guards (iranintl.com) — https://iranintl.com/
23. Germany Summons Iranian Ambassador After Conviction of Iranian Agent in Assassination Plot (cufi.org) — https://cufi.org/
24. Germany summons Iranian ambassador after court sentences Iranian agent to 8 1/2 years (jewishrhody.com) — https://jewishrhody.com/
25. German court jails two men for Iranian-backed plot to assassinate Jewish leader, German-Israeli Society head (timesofisrael.com) — https://timesofisrael.com/
26. German Court Sentences Two Men for Iranian-Backed Assassination Plot (waradana.com) — https://waradana.com/
27. German court sentences two men for Iranian-backed assassination plot (kfgo.com) — https://kfgo.com/
28. Germany Summons Iranian Ambassador Over Plot Against Jewish Leaders (voiceofemirates.com) — https://voiceofemirates.com/
29. Tehran rejects any role in plot to kill leaders of German Jewish groups (aljazeera.com) — https://aljazeera.com/
30. Iran summons German envoy over 'baseless allegations' (caspianpost.com) — https://caspianpost.com/
31. Iran-backed plot: Germany jails two men for spying on Jewish leaders (punchng.com) — https://punchng.com/
32. Germany summons Iran's ambassador after convictions for assassination plot (turkiyetoday.com) — https://turkiyetoday.com/
33. Germany summons Iranian ambassador over 'malicious plot' to kill pro-Israeli figures (royanews.tv) — https://royanews.tv/
34. German court jails two men for Iranian-directed plot to assassinate Jewish and pro-Israel figures (newscord.org) — https://newscord.org/
35. German court sentences two men for Iranian-backed assassination plot (voz.us) — https://voz.us/
36. Danish-Afghan Man Arrested in Denmark for Spying for Iran's IRGC (wafayee.com) — https://wafayee.com/
37. Iran summons German envoy over 'baseless allegations' (mehrnews.com) — https://mehrnews.com/
38. (October 19 2026) WANA (Oct 19) – Iran summoned German Ambassador Axel Dittmann to the Foreign Ministry on Monday in protest against what it described as repeated baseless allegations by German officials against Tehran. Dittmann was summoned on October 19, 2026, by Alireza Yousefi, Assistant Foreign Minister and Director General for Western Europe, who conveyed the Islamic Republic's strong objection to what he described as the inappropriate approach adopted by some German officials toward Iran. (wanaen.com) — https://wanaen.com/
39. (July 01 2025) Man arrested in Denmark accused of collecting information on 'Jewish localities and specific Jewish individuals in Berlin'. Deborah Cole. Tue 1 Jul 2025 12.57 EDT Last modified on Wed 2 Jul 2025 00.11 EDT. Share. Prefer the Guardian on Google. Germany has summoned the Iranian ambassador after the arrest of a man suspected of spying on Jews in Berlin for Tehran, possibly as part of an attack plot. “We will not tolerate any threats to Jewish life in Germany,” the foreign ministry po (theguardian.com) — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/01/germany-summons-iranian-ambassador-after-arrest-of-man-suspected-of-spying-on-jews-in-berlin
40. (October 19 2026) Germany on Monday summoned the Iranian ambassador after two men were jailed last week over what it called a "malicious" plot to assassinate pro-Israeli public figures on behalf of Tehran ... Add a comment. Germany summons Iran envoy following 'malicious' assassination plots Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, Iran's Ambassador to Germany, gives an interview to AFP at the Iranian embassy in Berlin on March 19, 2026. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP). Add The Local as a preferred source. Germa (thelocal.de) — https://thelocal.de/
41. (October 15 2026) A German court convicted two men of spying on prominent Jewish figures and preparing attacks against them on behalf of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, sentencing both to prison on Thursday. Ali Hassan Sarwari and Tawab Mohsini gathered information about Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Society, and monitored them in Berlin, according to evidence presented at the Hamburg Higher Regional  (iranintl.com) — https://iranintl.com/2026/10/15/german-court-convicts-two-men-of-spying-for-irans-revolutionary-guards/
42. (October 15 2026) ... Iran's Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, sentencing both to prison on Thursday. Ali Hassan ... Ali Heydari and Kazem Mohammadi, from whom he received instructions. (yamedpedagogy.blog) — https://yamedpedagogy.blog/2026/10/15/german-court-convicts-two-men-of-spying-for-irans-revolutionary-guards/
43. (October 16 2026) The judge said Sarwari had traveled to Iran several times and met Revolutionary Guards intelligence and security operatives, including Ali Heydari and Kazem Mohammadi, from whom he received instructions. Danish-Afghan man secretly visited Iran after spying on Jewish targets - Bild. The court sentenced Sarwari to eight years and six months in prison and Mohsini to four years and six months. Both verdicts can be ... The Basij is a paramilitary organization operating under Iran's  (iranintl.com) — https://iranintl.com/2026/10/16/iran-used-yemen-as-a-testing-ground-for-its-revolutionary-ideology-analyst/