Denmark recalls ambassador to Iran

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Europe

Denmark is recalling its ambassador to Iran and will call for EU-wide sanctions against the country following a suspected attempt by Iranian intelligence services to attack exiled Iranians living in Denmark.

In response, the Iranian foreign ministry dismissed the allegations by Denmark.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Danish foreign minister Anders Samuelsen said the suspected plans for an attack on Danish soil were "completely unacceptable," Swedish Radio reported on Tuesday.

"It is completely unacceptable for a foreign power to plan to assassinate a person in another country," Samuelsen said, adding that the decision to recall Denmark's ambassador to Tehran was "a powerful and unusual measure."

Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen speaks during a news conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, October 30, 2018. /VCG Photo

Earlier on Tuesday, Finn Borch Andersen, chief of Danish security service, said that Denmark has "suspected that an Iranian intelligence service had tried to carry out an attack on an Iranian Arab opposition figure on its soil."

"A Norwegian citizen of Iranian background has been arrested," he added, quoted by Swedish media.

The attack was meant to target the leader of the Danish branch of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz, Andersen told a news conference.

The case will now be discussed with like-minded countries that share Denmark's concerns over Iran, Samuelsen said, adding that Denmark will push those countries to join together to take common measures against Iran, which on its part denies that its intelligence services planned an attack in Denmark.

The Danish foreign ministry also held a meeting with Iran's ambassador to Denmark on Tuesday.

Iran, however, denies allegations of assassination attempt on dissident in Denmark.

"The allegations are the enemies' conspiracy to influence the expanding Iran-Europe relations under the current special circumstances," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency