Germany Hands Over Detained Iranian Diplomat to Belgium

Germany has handed over an Iranian diplomat accused of plotting a bombing at a People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) meeting in Paris to Belgium. The Islamic Republic has denied the allegations and demanded the release of its diplomat. According to reports from Agence France-Presse, the diplomat is named Assadollah Assadi, who worked at the Iranian embassy in Vienna. Mr. Assadi was arrested on July 1 this year in connection with a joint investigation in Germany, Belgium, and France regarding the bombing case in Bavaria, Germany. On September 30, a court in Germany agreed to extradite him to Belgium, and now the federal prosecutor in Belgium has informed Agence France-Presse that Assadollah Assadi was handed over to Belgium on October 9. Mr. Assadi will appear in court in Brussels for the trial process. The investigations and charges against Assadi relate to a bombing plot at the MEK conference on July 1. He is accused of having ordered a couple residing in Antwerp, Belgium, to 'attack' this conference. This couple was arrested in Brussels while carrying 500 grams of a very powerful explosive, acetone peroxide, along with a detonator. Police suspect Assadi of being involved in the transfer of these explosives to the couple. The MEK's news agency has referred to Mr. Assadi as the 'head of the intelligence station' at the Iranian embassy in Vienna, stating that he had issued the 'final order for the attack' on the July 1 gathering. Tehran has denied the allegations. The Iranian Foreign Ministry, while demanding the release of its diplomat, stated that 'given the existing documents and evidence, the role of adversaries, ill-wishers, and known destructive agents in designing this absurd show is clear.' On July 10, the French government froze assets belonging to Iranian intelligence services and two Iranian citizens, including Mr. Assadi, in response to the 'attack plot against the MEK conference.' Simultaneously, the French ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Economy issued a joint statement, referring to the 'attack plot' and stating that 'this action is extremely serious and cannot go unanswered.' The 'National Council of Resistance' and its associated body, the 'People's Mujahedin of Iran,' held a conference on July 1 in the suburbs of Paris. According to the MEK, 'more than 25,000 people' attended. Rudy Giuliani, a close associate of Donald Trump, Bill Richardson, a former U.S. representative to the United Nations, as well as former Canadian Prime Minister and former foreign ministers of France and Italy were among the participants in this conference.