Tehran says Jamshid Sharmahd, convicted of German-Iranian terrorism, died before his execution

Last update:05 November 2024, 19:39 IST

On October 28, Iran announced the execution of Sharmahd, who had been sentenced to death in February 2023 for his role in a 2008 “terrorist” attack.

Iran said on Tuesday that Iranian-German citizen Jamshid Sharmahd, who had been sentenced to death, died last week before his execution could be carried out.

“Jamshid Sharmahd was sentenced to death, his execution was imminent, but he died before it could be carried out,” justice spokesman Asghar Jahangir told reporters in Tehran, without elaborating.

On October 28, Iran announced the execution of the 69-year-old, who was sentenced to death in February 2023 for the capital offense of “corruption on Earth” over his role in a 2008 “terrorist” attack.

The sentence was later confirmed by the supreme court.

Jahangir said Iran’s judiciary tried Sharmahd “as an Iranian for the terrorist acts he committed”.

“Even if he was not Iranian and committed crimes in Iran, according to the laws and regulations, we had the right to address his crimes,” he added.

Sharmahd was convicted of playing a role in a 2008 mosque bombing in the southern city of Shiraz that killed 14 people and injured 300.

His family said he was captured by Iranian authorities in 2020 while traveling through the United Arab Emirates.

Iran, which does not recognize dual citizenship, announced his arrest after a “complex operation”, without specifying when, where or how he was detained.

Sharmahd was also accused of leading the Tondar group, which seeks to overthrow the Islamic republic. Iran considers it a terrorist organization.

Germany condemned Iran after his execution was announced, with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock saying it showed “the rules of an inhumane regime in Tehran”.

Baerbock later announced that three Iranian consulates in Germany would be closed as a result – a move that sparked a “strong protest” from the Islamic republic.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)

The world of news Tehran says Jamshid Sharmahd, convicted of German-Iranian terrorism, died before his execution