Outrage About Tweet by Iranian Ambassador in Vienna: Call for Summons
A social media posting by the Iranian ambassador in Vienna, Abbas Bagherpour Ardekani, has caused a considerable political stir. In addition to calls for the Iranian ambassador to be summoned, there have also been calls for further diplomatic consequences.
Abbas Bagherpour Ardekani, Iran's ambassador in Vienna posted the Hezbollah flag on Twitter. Their symbols are banned in Austria. / Picture: © www.bundespraesident.at / Peter Lechner and Harald Minich / HBF
In his post on platform X (formerly Twitter), the diplomat showed the flag of the radical Islamic organization Hezbollah, accompanied by the statement “Hezbollah will be victorious”. This symbolism is banned in Austria and therefore triggered harsh criticism. The timing of the post was particularly explosive, as reported by ORF. it was made shortly after intensive air attacks by the Lebanese Hezbollah on Israel. Hezbollah, which is classified as a terrorist organization in many countries, including Austria since May 2021, is known for its aggressive stance towards Israel.
Domestic politics outraged
Austrian politicians reacted immediately to the posting, as reported by ORF. The Greens and the SPÖ expressed their outrage and called on the Foreign Ministry to recall the Iranian ambassador. “I call on the Foreign Ministry to recall the Iranian ambassador and thus send a clear signal against terror,” said Green Party leader Sigrid Maurer on X.
Ich fordere das Außenministerium auf, den iranischen Botschafter einzubestellen und damit ein klares Zeichen gegen Terror zu setzen.
— Sigi Maurer (@sigi_maurer) August 25, 2024
SPÖ deputy leader Eva-Maria Holzleitner also strongly condemned the incident: “It is highly unacceptable for the Iranian ambassador to post the symbol of the extremist Hezbollah, which is banned in Austria, while Israel is under attack. The Foreign Ministry must summon the ambassador here!” The controversial posting remained online until Sunday evening, and the Iranian embassy had not yet issued a statement. The Foreign Ministry has not yet officially responded to the demands.
Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization
Hezbollah, whose name translates as “Party of God”, is a Shiite Islamist political and military organization based in Lebanon. It was founded in 1982 during the Lebanese civil war and has received support from Iran ever since. Hezbollah is best known for its armed actions against Israel, including the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers and rocket attacks on Israeli territory. Its goals include the destruction of the state of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic state in Lebanon modeled on the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In many Western countries, including the USA, Great Britain, Germany, and Canada, Hezbollah is classified as a terrorist organization. This classification has far-reaching consequences, as it prohibits support and cooperation with the organization as well as the dissemination of its symbols and propaganda. In Austria, the ban on Hezbollah symbols came into force in May 2021 to prevent support for extremism and ensure security in the country.
Diplomatic relations between Austria and Iran could be further strained by this incident. It remains to be seen how the Foreign Ministry will react to this challenge. However, several politicians and experts called for Austria to reconsider its diplomatic relations with Iran in view of the repeated provocations by the Iranian ambassador. In the past, the Iranian ambassador in Vienna had already repeatedly drawn attention to himself through anti-Israeli statements.