Germany has summoned Iran’s ambassador following the arrest of a man suspected of spying on Jewish sites in Berlin for Iranian intelligence. The suspect, identified as Ali S., was arrested last Thursday in Aarhus, Denmark. According to German prosecutors, he is strongly believed to have worked for an Iranian intelligence agency.
Authorities said Ali S. received instructions earlier this year to collect details about Jewish individuals and communities in Berlin. In June, he reportedly surveyed three specific locations, raising concerns about a possible plan to launch further operations, including the risk of terrorist attacks.
Germany’s Foreign Ministry made its position clear in a post on X, stating that any threat to Jewish life in the country would not be tolerated and that the accusations must be fully investigated.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, while in Ukraine, emphasized that if the allegations are true, they reaffirm the ongoing threat Iran poses to Jews worldwide.
Der Spiegel reported that the suspect had photographed buildings, including the headquarters of the German-Israeli Society. Investigators suspect he was working for the Quds Force, a branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard known for foreign intelligence and covert operations.
Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Germany has increased security around Jewish communities. That same month, German police shot and killed an Austrian man with ties to radical Islam, who was allegedly planning an assault on the Israeli consulate in Munich.
Concerns over Iranian espionage remain high. In late 2023, a dual German-Iranian citizen was imprisoned for plotting an attack on a synagogue in Bochum in 2022 — a plot reportedly backed by Iranian officials.
