RELATIONS between Germany and Iran were in the balance last night after a Berlin court ruled that Tehran's political leadership ordered a political assassination in the city five years ago.
The court jailed two men for life and two others to prison terms of 11 and five years for the murder of four Iranian Kurdish politicians at a Berlin restaurant on September 17th, 1992.
The Bonn government responded to the verdict by recalling its ambassador from Iran, expelling four Iranian diplomats and calling in the Iranian ambassador to inform him of the political consequences of the court ruling.
Bonn also warned German citizens not to travel to Iran in the next few days because of possible security risks. Iran also recalled its ambassador from Bonn. In Tehran, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mr Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri, dismissed the verdict as politically motivated.
"We have asked the German leadership many times if there is any evidence and if so to present it to us. But until now they haven't. The trial had a political tinge," he said.
Presiding Judge Frith of Kubsch said the four men were following orders from Tehran. Although he did not name those who ordered the murders, he said they were planned by a high-level "Committee for Special Operations".
"It is proven that there was an official liquidation order. The Iranian political leadership was responsible," he said.
Prosecutors claimed that the Committee for Special Operations included President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the Foreign Minister, Mr Ali Akbar Velayati, and Iran's senior spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameini.
The German authorities last year issued a warrant for the arrest of Iran's intelligence chief, Mr Ali Fallahian, who prosecutors believe was the mastermind behind the murder.
Officials admitted that Bonn's controversial policy of "critical dialogue" with Tehran is now at an end. Germany hopes to co-ordinate further measures against Iran with its EU partners, raising the possibility that all 15 states could recall their ambassadors.
Hundreds of Iranian dissidents danced with joy in the street outside the court following the verdict, which was more explicit than expected in its condemnation of Tehran.
"This is a clear, tough response to Iranian state terrorism and without this tough, clear attitude to the Iranian regime, there can be no progress," said Ms Shohreh Baddii, the widow of one of the victims.
The court found Kazem Darabi, a Berlin-based Iranian, and a Lebanese, Abbas Rhayel, guilty of murdering the Kurdish leader Sadiq Sarafkindi and three of his colleagues. They were both sentenced to life in prison with a recommendation that they should serve at least 15 years.
Two other Lebanese nationals were found guilty of being accessories to murder. A fifth defendant was acquitted.
The verdict marked the first time that a European court had clearly attributed political responsibility for any of the dozens of assassinations of Iranian opposition figures abroad since the Islamic revolution in 1979.
