Copenhagen also recalls ambassador to Tehran as it accuses Iran of plotting assassination on Danish soil

Denmark has recalled its ambassador from Tehran and called for fresh EU sanctions against Iran after its security services accused Iranian intelligence service of plotting an assassination on Danish soil. Danish bridges closed due to 'major police operation' Read more

A Norwegian national of Iranian background has been arrested in Sweden and since extradited to Denmark in connection with the foiled attack, according to officials. Tehran denied the allegations, which it called a conspiracy to “sabotage Iran’s ancient and longstanding relations with France and other significant European countries”. Earlier on Tuesday, the head of Denmark's intelligence service PET, Finn Borch Andersen, said his agency believed the Iranian intelligence service "was planning an attack in Denmark" against three Iranians suspected of belonging to the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz. Iran has denied the Danish allegations, with foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi saying they were part of a European conspiracy against Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Bahram Qassemi suspected the timing of reports linking Iran to assassination operations in Europe soil and called them as "a plot by [Iran's] enemies to damage Tehran's growing relations with European countries". Samuelsen later said Iran’s ambassador to Denmark, Morteza Moradian, had been summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Copenhagen and it was made “crystal clear” to him that “the gravity of the matter is difficult to describe.”

During a televised press conference, Borch Andersen noted that Iran already was suspected of targeting opposition groups abroad. The incident came shortly after Tehran summoned UK, Dutch and Danish envoys and urged Denmark and the Netherlands to extradite Iranian exiles who they said were responsible for a terrorist attack on September 23 in the Iranian city of Ahvaz, which killed at least 24 people, including children. The Iranian government summoned Denmark’s ambassador after the attack and accused the Danish government of harboring members of the “terrorist group.”

The Sept. 28 operation that closed access to the island on which Copenhagen was launched after police noticed a stolen, Swedish-registered car near the home of an Iranian opposition activist that sped up when officers were spotted.
Denmark calls on the European Union for new sanctions against Iran after Danish security services accused the Iranian intelligence service of plotting an assassination of an Iranian activist on Danish soil. Copenhagen also recalls its ambassador to Tehran.