Officials expel the ex-leader of the Hamburg Islamic Center
If Mofatteh fails to depart by September 11th, he faces the consequence of self-funded deportation. Moreover, he is prohibited from reentering or residing in Germany, potentially resulting in imprisonment for up to three years if he disregards this rule, as stated by the authority's spokesperson.
The IZH, perceived as an extension of the Iranian administration, was under continual scrutiny by the constitutional defense agencies due to the dissemination of Islamic beliefs. At the conclusion of July, the center, along with its affiliated organizations, was outlawed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Citing extremist Islamic intentions and anti-constitutional objectives, the ministry declared IZH to be an organization. The 'Blue Mosque' operated by them on Outer Alster in Hamburg, as well as other affiliated assets, were subsequently seized.
Andy Grote, Hamburg's Interior Senator (SPD), labeled Mofatteh's expulsion as the "inevitable conclusion". Concluding his tenure in Germany as the highest religious figurehead of the Tehran regime. Since summer 2018, Mofatteh has served as the IZH's leader. Recently, his role was as the German representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Chamenei.
The then-deputy leader of IZH was expelled in November 2022 by the Hamburg Interior Authority. He apparently left the country prior to his actual deportation. The primary motivation behind this was suspicions of supporting Hezbollah, recognized as a terrorist organization in Germany. The aforementioned militant group is backed by Iran and seeks to negate Israel's right to existence.
Hezbollah support accusations also played a role in the five-week ban of IZH. The center reportedly propagated the insidious ideology of the so-called Iranian Revolution conspiratorially, as alleged by the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) emphasized that this ideology targets not only women's and human rights but also the democratic state. Moreover, anti-Semitic views were propagated.
The demand for IZH's closure had been echoed by politicians for years, with its implementation widely celebrated. Iran, however, reacted angrily, summoning the German ambassador and subsequently closing a German language institute in Tehran due to alleged regulatory infractions.
The Islamic beliefs spread by The Islamic Center of Hamburg (IZH) were a constant subject of scrutiny by the constitutional defense agencies. Due to its alleged extremist Islamic intentions and objectives that were deemed anti-constitutional, IZH was outlawed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in July.
