Germany bans group accused of Iran links

Germany's interior ministry said on Wednesday it has banned the Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH) association and its subsidiary organizations, saying it pursues radical Islamist goals. The entity is controlled by Tehran.

The ministry said in a statement that 53 of the organization’s premises had been searched by authorities in eight German states early on Wednesday, acting on a court order.

Germany's federal police had raided the Islamic Center on suspicions of support for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, accused of terrorism, in November 2023. Germany banned Hezbollah activities in 2020.

The interior ministry said at the time that the Khamenei-controlled IZH activities are “aimed at spreading the revolutionary concept of the Supreme (Iranian) leaders,” and that the center allegedly undermines Germany’s “constitutional order.”

In addition to the Hamburg-based IZH, which includes one of the oldest mosques in Germany known for its turquoise exterior, its subgroups in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin were also banned.

As a result, four Shiite mosques will be closed, said the ministry. Some German politicians issued statements expressing satisfaction that the government finally acted against IZH.