Daughter of Iranian-German Sentenced to Death Urges Berlin to Pressure Tehran

Jamshid Sharmahd shows his German passport on screen during the trial in February 2022. (AFP)
Jamshid Sharmahd shows his German passport on screen during the trial in February 2022. (AFP)
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Daughter of Iranian-German Sentenced to Death Urges Berlin to Pressure Tehran

Jamshid Sharmahd shows his German passport on screen during the trial in February 2022. (AFP)
Jamshid Sharmahd shows his German passport on screen during the trial in February 2022. (AFP)

The daughter of Iranian-German dual national Jamshid Sharmahd, who is sentenced to death, has urged the German government to exert more efforts to rescue her father.

Gazelle Sharmahd urged the German government to pressure the Iranian authorities or else Tehran would be convinced that “we don’t have a red line”.

She added that until now there is no serious response from the government that would interest the leadership in Iran or make it refrain from executing Jamshid.

Gazelle told Deutschlandfunk on Tuesday that “Berlin remained ineffective in her father’s case for a long time”.

Berlin should have acted two and a half years ago when her father was abducted and now “it is too late”, according to Gazelle.

She added that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is exerting more efforts compared to her predecessor but “unfortunately, words aren't enough”.

Iran's Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of Sharmahd.

The Tehran Revolutionary Court in February sentenced Sharmahd, 67, to death after being held responsible for involvement in a “terrorist” attack and accused of cooperating with foreign intelligence agencies.

These allegations can't be confirmed.

Iran usually executes the death sentence by hanging.

Baerbock said the decision was “unacceptable” and called on Iran “to reverse this arbitrary sentence immediately”.

Sharmahd also has a US residency.

Sharmahd's arrest was announced in 2020 through an Intelligence Ministry statement that described him as “the ringleader of the terrorist Tondar group, who directed armed and terrorist acts in Iran from America,” according to Reuters.



Car Hits Pedestrians in Seoul, Killing 9 and Injuring 4

Broken glass and debris lie at the scene of car accident that resulted in several people killed and injured in central Seoul, South Korea July 1, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Broken glass and debris lie at the scene of car accident that resulted in several people killed and injured in central Seoul, South Korea July 1, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
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Car Hits Pedestrians in Seoul, Killing 9 and Injuring 4

Broken glass and debris lie at the scene of car accident that resulted in several people killed and injured in central Seoul, South Korea July 1, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji
Broken glass and debris lie at the scene of car accident that resulted in several people killed and injured in central Seoul, South Korea July 1, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

A car hit pedestrians waiting at a traffic light in central Seoul on Monday evening, killing nine people and injuring four, South Korea's emergency officials said.

The passenger car drove in the wrong direction and collided with two other cars just before hitting the pedestrians, South Korean media reports said.

The reports say the driver in his late 60s spoke of a sudden, unintended acceleration. He was detained, media reported.

Seoul police did not immediately confirm the reports.

Emergency officer Kim Chun-su told a briefing that one of the four injured was in serious condition.