Campaign against Iran-linked foundation in Germany intensifies

A coalition of Iranian human rights activists and dissident groups has urged the Körber Foundation in Germany to sever ties with the government in Iran.

The Hamburg-based organization has gone to great lengths to promote Seyed Hossein Mousavian, who was an Iranian diplomat when over 20 Iranian dissidents in Europe were assassinated during the 1990’s.

“In May 2024, Brigadier General Christian Freuding and 39 high-ranking German Foreign Ministry and Army officials met with Mousavian under the auspices of the Körber Foundation,” the group pointed out in the campaign letter.

“Mousavian, a known apologist for the Islamic Regime of Iran, has a documented history of involvement in terrorist activities on European soil. His participation in such high-level meetings legitimizes his views and poses potential risks to Germany’s national security,” wrote the coalition statement in both English and Persian.

Mousavian, an academic at Princeton University, is currently being investigated by the US Congress and is subject to a campaign by rights groups for his dismissal due to his alleged connections to state-sponsored terror.

The letter written by the coalition also noted that Adnan Tabatabai was another frequent invitee of the Körber Foundation.

“Tabatabai has well-documented connections to the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). His perspectives, often sympathetic to the regime, overshadow the voices of countless Iranians who suffer under the gender apartheid and authoritarian rule of the IRI,” the activists wrote.

The coalition comprises major organizations such as the Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA), International Committee Against Death Penalty and Organization for Human Rights Hengaw.

Körber has also hosted Iranian regime official Massoumeh Ebtekar, who participated in the taking of American hostages at the US embassy in 1979, openly writing on X: “We were honored to welcome Dr. Massoumeh Ebtekar @ebtekarm, Vice President of #Iran at Körber Foundation for a Background Discussion today.”

The letter was also signed by a number of prominent German-Iranian and German activists and human rights experts such as Gazelle Sharmahd, the daughter of the German-American hostage in Iran, Jamshid Sharmahd. He is one of an unknown number of dual-nationals held by Iran as part of its policy of diplomatic hostage taking.

Golaleh Sharafkandi, whose uncle, Dr Sadegh Sharafkandi was assassinated by Iranian agents in the Mykonos restaurant in Berlin in 1992, targeting Kurdish dissidents, is also a signatory.

Mousavian, who was ambassador to Germany at the time, allegedly permitted a clandestine division to work at Iran’s embassy in Bonn to carry out assassinations.

In November, referring to the Mykonos case, Mousavian denied his involvement. He told Iran International: “The 398-page verdict is published and everyone can have access to it. The Berlin court verdict does not contain any direct or indirect allegations against me.”

When approached about the latest letter on Friday via WhatsApp and Emails, Mousavian declined to comment.

The letter noted that “The Körber Foundation, established by industrialist Kurt A. Körber, has a complex history, including connections to the Nazi regime during World War II.

“As an organization with this past, it is even more crucial for the Foundation to promote justice, human rights, and democracy actively. By cutting ties with apologists of oppressive regimes and supporting the Iranian people's fight for freedom, the Körber Foundation can help remedy its dark past and contribute positively to a just future.”

The letter also referenced delegations Körber sponsored to Iran in 2017 where staff met with Iranian officials and visited the state-run Press TV, sanctioned by both the US and UK.

Lothar Dittmer, the chairman of the Körber Foundation, and Henriette Viebig, a spokeswoman for the Körber company that finances the foundation, did not immediately respond to Iran International press queries.