German prosecutors charge two men over alleged Iranian espionage plot in Germany
German prosecutors have charged two men in connection with an alleged Iranian espionage plot in Germany that targeted Jewish community leaders and local businesses, authorities said.
Federal prosecutors file indictments
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office announced it has brought formal charges against two suspects accused of involvement in an alleged Iranian espionage plot in Germany. The indictments were lodged before the State Security Senate of the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg.
Prosecutors say the investigation centers on plans to obtain information and prepare violent attacks against prominent figures and community sites. The case marks one of the most serious allegations of foreign-directed operations on German soil in recent years.
Defendants and specific charges
The men named in the indictment are identified by prosecutors as a Danish national, Ali S., and an Afghan national, Tawab M. Ali S. faces multiple counts including intelligence-gathering on behalf of a foreign service, conducting agent activities for sabotage purposes, and attempted participation in murder and serious arson. Tawab M. is accused of attempted participation in murder.
Both defendants are in pretrial detention after being transferred to Germany following arrests abroad. Their lawyers have indicated they will contest the charges and stressed the presumption of innocence.
Alleged ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
According to the prosecutor’s account, Ali S. allegedly worked for the intelligence arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and maintained close contacts with the Quds Force, an elite unit of the IRGC. Prosecutors say he received orders in early 2025 to collect information on specific individuals in Germany.
Authorities contend the accused’s activities were not limited to passive surveillance but formed part of an organized attempt to prepare violent operations. Iran has categorically denied the allegations and described them as unfounded.
Targets named as Jewish leaders and a former MP
Officials say the alleged targets included Josef Schuster, the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Volker Beck, former Green Party member of the Bundestag and current chair of the German-Israeli Society. Prosecutors assert that the accused sought information about both men in the early months of 2025.
Investigators also report that two Jewish food shop owners in Berlin were surveilled, which prosecutors view as part of preparations for murder and arson attacks. There is no indication in the indictment that concrete attempts to carry out killings succeeded, prosecutors stress.
Surveillance activity and alleged recruitment efforts
Prosecutors allege that Ali S. conducted reconnaissance in Berlin during spring 2025, identifying locations and seeking potential accomplices. They say he contacted Tawab M. by May 2025, after which Tawab M. agreed to procure a weapon for a third party and to encourage an attack against one of the named targets.
The indictment describes a sequence of steps prosecutors interpret as operational planning rather than mere research or reporting, including site visits and contact-building. No completed attacks have been attributed to the defendants in court filings.
Arrests, international cooperation and diplomatic fallout
Ali S. was arrested in Denmark on June 26, 2025; Tawab M. was taken into custody on November 5, 2025, and both were subsequently extradited to Germany. German officials have acknowledged cooperation with multiple foreign intelligence services during the inquiry. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said a partner service provided the initial lead in the matter.
A source familiar with the investigation indicated involvement by Israel’s foreign intelligence agency in passing information to German authorities. The German Foreign Office summoned the Iranian ambassador after the arrests, and Tehran has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated and dangerous.
Reactions from the accused and potential legal timetable
Defense counsel for Ali S. stated publicly that they will dispute the charges and underscored the principle of innocent until proven guilty. The defense for Tawab M. has declined comment, while one of the alleged targets, Volker Beck, has called for the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador and said he lived for six weeks in 2025 with the knowledge that he might be at risk.
The Hanseatic Higher Regional Court will now manage pretrial procedures for a case that could involve sensitive intelligence material and classified evidence. Prosecutors must prove the allegations in court and the trial schedule will reflect the complexity of handling foreign intelligence links and international cooperation.
The accused remain in custody as investigations continue and German authorities pursue further inquiries into whether the alleged network extended beyond the two men now charged.
