Khamenei representative issues warning about EU office in Tehran

The representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in East Azerbaijan province issued a warning on Friday about opening an office for the European Union in Tehran, Anadolu has reported.

Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari used his Friday sermon to say that having an EU office in Tehran does not serve the interests of the Muslim world. “Such an office will be a nest for espionage and sedition,” he claimed.

Shabestari accused certain government officials who hold US and British passports as well as Iranian citizenship of being behind the moves to have EU representation in the Iranian capital. Apart from opposing the implementation of Shari’ah Law in Iran, he said, EU officials would also seek to promote un-Islamic activities — he cited as an example homosexuality — and the normalisation of relations with Israel.

An application from the EU to open an office in Tehran has been pending since the signing of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the 5+1 countries in Vienna last year.