FRANKFURT, Germany: Germany has ordered the expulsion of Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh, the head of the recently banned Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH), giving him until September 11 to leave the country or face deportation.
Mofatteh, who led the IZH since 2018, served as the official deputy of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Germany.
The German authorities banned the IZH and its subsidiary organizations in July, citing their pursuit of “radical Islamist goals” and their direct representation of Khamenei’s interests, including promoting an Islamic revolution in Germany. Social media accounts and the IZH website were also taken down following the ban.
In response to the closure, Iran summoned the German ambassador in Tehran. The IZH is notable for housing one of Germany’s oldest mosques, recognizable by its turquoise exterior. News of Mofatteh’s expulsion was first reported by Bild newspaper and broadcaster NDR.
