By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
TEHRAN/BERLIN (Worthy News) – Tehran has condemned a decision by the German government to ban an Iran-linked Islamic group over “extremism” and to close one of Germany’s oldest mosques.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the German ambassador over the ban, Worthy News learned from several sources on Thursday.
On the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the ministry called the ban “an example of Islamophobia” and a violation of freedom of expression.
Asked about the summoning of the ambassador, a German Foreign Ministry official said it was up to Iran to move toward improving ties.
The Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) had been under investigation for several months over its alleged support for Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, which Iran backs.
Hezbollah has been classified as a “terrorist” group by Germany and several of the country’s allies, including Israel and the United States.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that IZH was banned for propagating extremism and that its famous “Blue Mosque” was being searched by police.
‘NOT ANTI-RELIGION’
“It is very important to me to make a clear distinction here: we are not acting against a religion,” Faeser stressed, adding it was aimed at a group accused of undermining the German state as well as women’s rights.
German sources said the Imam Ali Mosque, known locally as the Blue Mosque, is one of Germany’s oldest mosques and is operated by the IZH.
It comes amid broader concerns about Islamic extremism and related antisemitism in Germany, which has seen an influx of migrants from mainly Islamic countries.
IZH is considered an extension of Iran’s Islamic leadership and is thought to have a “significant influence” over certain mosques and associations, said Germany’s domestic intelligence services.
The IZH is being probed for “spreading aggressive antisemitism,” Faeser explained, adding that raids against the group in November established proof of connections to Hezbollah and led to this week’s ban.
In a statement, the Interior Ministry said that it “banned the Hamburg Islamic Centre and its affiliated organizations throughout Germany to date, as it is an Islamist extremist organization pursuing anti-constitutional objectives.”
The ministry accused the IZH of spreading Iranian revolutionary ideas and spreading those ideas “in an aggressive and militant manner.”
HAMBURG RESIDENTS CONCERNED
There had been calls from concerned Hamburg residents for years to investigate the IZH, Worthy News learned.
Affiliated institutions in the federal states of Bremen, Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Berlin were also being investigated.
The ministry said 53 properties were being searched, and four mosques were shut.
Germany’s Interior Ministry last year said the IZH was suspected of “acting against constitutional order” and of “supporting [the] terror organization Hezbollah.”
In 2020, Germany designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and banned its activities on German soil.
With further investigations ongoing in Europe’s largest economy, German police vehicles were seen outside the Blue Mosque in Hamburg, and more raids were expected despite Iran’s opposition.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A new report from Barna Group reveals a striking shift in America’s spiritual climate, with nearly three in ten U.S. adults believing a spiritual revival could emerge within the next year. The research, conducted in partnership with Gloo as part of the 2026 State of the Church initiative, points to a growing openness to faith—especially among younger generations.
Israel announced Wednesday that it has completed a major phase of its military campaign against Iran, declaring that nearly all predesignated “vital and strategic” targets have been successfully struck under Operation Roaring Lion.
President Donald Trump has discussed with senior advisers the possibility of withdrawing the United States from NATO if European allies fail to assist in reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. officials, signaling mounting strain within the decades-old alliance.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared Tuesday night that U.S. military operations in Iran are approaching their final phase, signaling that the conflict could soon come to a close after weeks of intense engagement.
A sword-wielding man from the U.S. state of Massachusetts has been arrested for allegedly making threats to kill President Donald J. Trump and “hang him” from the Statue of Liberty in New York.
Four astronauts are on their way to the Moon after the U.S. space agency NASA launched the Artemis II mission, marking the first crewed lunar flight in more than five decades.
The United Arab Emirates is preparing to assist the United States and allied nations in reopening the Strait of Hormuz by force, marking a significant strategic shift that could make it the first Persian Gulf state to formally enter the conflict against Iran, according to the Wall Street Journal.