BERLIN

Germany on Tuesday summoned the Iranian ambassador over alleged espionage activities after authorities arrested a foreign national for gathering intelligence on Jewish targets.

The Foreign Ministry said the Iranian envoy Majid Nili Ahmadabadi was summoned to express Germany's serious concerns about the case, which has further strained relations between Berlin and Tehran.

"If these allegations prove true, it would be an outrageous act that would once again demonstrate that Iran poses a threat to Jews worldwide," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said during a visit to a synagogue in the Ukrainian port city of Odessa. "We will clearly stand against this."

German prosecutors announced on Tuesday that a Danish national was arrested after investigators discovered he was collecting information about Jewish locations and specific Jewish individuals in Berlin on behalf of an Iranian intelligence organization.

The suspect, identified as Ali S., was arrested in Aarhus, Denmark, following an arrest warrant issued by German authorities. He was scheduled to be transferred to Germany to appear before an investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice.

According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, the 53-year-old suspect was tasked by Iranian intelligence in early 2025 "to gather information in Berlin about Jewish locations and specific Jewish individuals."

“For this purpose, he surveilled three sites in June,” the prosecutors said in a statement. “This presumably served to prepare further intelligence operations in Germany, possibly including attacks on Jewish targets.”

German authorities said the investigation stemmed from information provided by the BfV, Germany's domestic intelligence agency.