Exclusive | U.S. State Department: We support Germany and other countries that take Iran's threats seriously

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State on Thursday, June 4, commented on the closure of the Islamic Center of Hamburg to Voice of America, saying: "We strongly support Germany and other countries that take Iran's threats and its efforts for malicious influence seriously on their soil." He noted that "we are aware of reports regarding the closure of the Islamic Center of Hamburg due to security and public safety threats" and, in response to a question about the activities of such centers in the U.S., added: "We are not going to comment on religious organizations in the United States." The spokesperson further stated that they would refer any legal actions to the U.S. Department of Justice. He also emphasized: "As the President of the United States has repeatedly said, Islamophobia has no place in the United States." German police forces raided the Islamic Center of Hamburg early on Wednesday, August 3, declaring their activities prohibited along with more than 50 affiliated centers. The German Minister of the Interior stated in a statement that the evidence collected in the investigations "confirmed serious suspicions to the extent that we issued the prohibition order." Nancy Faeser added: "The Islamic Center of Hamburg promotes extremist and totalitarian Islamist ideology in Germany, and its affiliates also support Hezbollah terrorists." According to this ministry, the association managing the Islamic Center of Hamburg, known as the "Blue Mosque," was spreading anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli incitements in violation of the German constitution. The German Ministry of the Interior also stated that representatives of the mosque had previously praised the violent actions of terrorist organizations like Hamas and supported banned terrorist organizations like Hezbollah. Nancy Faeser, the Minister of the Interior, said that this action was taken due to "extremism and anti-Jewish incitements." Reports indicate that centers related to this group were also inspected in Berlin on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the German ambassador on Wednesday to protest the prohibition of activities and the closure of the Islamic Center of Hamburg and more than 50 affiliated centers. Thousands of euros in cash and documents related to terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah were discovered at the Islamic Center of Hamburg.