On the morning of July 24, 2024, German police executed a large-scale operation targeting extremist mosques nationwide.

The primary focus was the Imam-Ali-Mosque in Hamburg, operated by the “Islamische Zentrum Hamburg” (IZH), which the Federal Ministry of the Interior banned for promoting extremist ideologies. The IZH has long been suspected of being an arm of the Tehran regime. At precisely 5:59 AM, heavily armed and masked officers from the Hamburg police force stormed the Imam-Ali-Mosque.

The operation employed cutting tools, chainsaws, and battering rams to gain entry, specifically targeting the library and office areas. During the raid, officers confiscated significant evidence, including large sums of money stored in bags and safes. By 7:15 AM, the first sacks of evidence were removed from the mosque, and by 9:00 AM, plastic bags full of coins and bundles of banknotes were seen being transported out. A 1.5-meter-long safe and a black Audi A6 believed to be the Imam’s service vehicle, were also seized. Three individuals found sleeping inside the mosque were detained for questioning.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “We have banned the ‘Islamische Zentrum Hamburg’ because it propagates a totalitarian, Islamist ideology and supports terrorist organizations like Hezbollah. Today’s actions mark a decisive step against Islamist extremism in Germany.”

Simultaneous operations took place in Berlin, Munich, and other cities across eight federal states, including Bavaria, Bremen, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, and North Rhine-Westphalia. In Berlin, police raided a mosque in the Tempelhof district, while in Munich, the “Islamische Vereinigung Bayern” (IVB) was searched. Hamburg’s Senator of the Interior, Andy Grote, praised the operation, stating, “The long arm of the Iranian regime in Germany has been severed today.” Berlin’s Senator of the Interior, Iris Spranger, also supported the actions, highlighting the importance of protecting democratic principles and combating antisemitism.

The IZH has been closely linked to the Iranian regime, with its head, Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh, reporting directly to Tehran. In 1993, German intelligence services began monitoring the IZH, viewing it as an extension of Iran’s theocratic regime. Evidence of its extremist connections was reinforced when Mofatteh was caught with secret documents from Tehran at the Hamburg airport.

Tehran has long used cultural centers as fronts for covert operations, recruiting extremists, gathering intelligence, and targeting dissidents worldwide. These centers, ostensibly established to promote Iranian culture and language, often serve as hubs for espionage and terrorism. The disruptive presence of Iranian cultural centers has been particularly evident in Albania, where the government closed the “Saadi Foundation” for activities threatening national security.

Iran’s operations extend beyond Europe. In Iraq, the regime opened several cultural centers, including one in Kirkuk, used to recruit members for Iranian-backed Shiite militias. Sudan faced similar issues, closing all Iranian cultural centers in Khartoum in 2015 for promoting extremist ideologies and threatening social stability.

Furthermore, Al-Mustafa International University, with branches worldwide, has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for facilitating recruitment for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF). The university is known for enrolling foreign students and indoctrinating them with the regime’s ideology, recruiting them into IRGC-QF operations, including foreign militias fighting in Syria or joining other militant groups that advance Iran’s regional agenda.

MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI  (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu