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Iran Executes 68-Year-Old German-Iranian U.S. Resident Jamshid Sharmahd Amid International Condemnation

Oct 28, 2024, 08:01 PM

Iran has executed Jamshid Sharmahd, a 68-year-old German-Iranian national and U.S. permanent resident. Sharmahd, a software developer who lived in California, was convicted of terrorism-related charges, including involvement in a 2008 bombing in Shiraz that killed 14 people—charges his family has repeatedly denied. He was reportedly abducted by Iranian agents from Dubai in 2020 and taken to Iran, where he was held in solitary confinement for over four years. His daughter, Gazelle Sharmahd, has been advocating for his release. The execution, carried out on October 28, 2024, has drawn international condemnation. Germany has recalled its ambassador from Tehran and summoned Iran's charge d'affaires, with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemning the execution as a "scandal" and stating that Sharmahd did not receive a fair trial. The European Union's High Representative, Josep Borrell, also condemned the execution and indicated the EU would consider taking measures in response. U.S. officials, including the U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, have criticized Iran's actions, highlighting the regime's history of transnational repression and disregard for human rights.