https://arab.news/bfqdu
- Abbas Bagherpour published post praising Hezbollah’s airstrikes on Israel
LONDON: Austrian authorities have summoned Iran’s envoy to the country after he posted a pro-Hezbollah message on social media.
The Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs questioned Iranian Ambassador Abbas Bagherpour regarding a post on his social media account that appeared to praise Hezbollah’s recent airstrikes on Israel.
The post featured the Hezbollah flag — banned in Austria — accompanied by the statement “Hezbollah will win.”
The Foreign Ministry said: “We strongly condemn the use of the image of the Hezbollah flag in the Iranian ambassador’s message.”
Austria’s Security and Information Department has also lodged a complaint against Bagherpour.
The Lebanese militia group Hezbollah has been classified as a terrorist organization by several EU countries, including Austria, since 2021.
Under Austrian law, promoting Hezbollah symbols, including its flag, is prohibited. Violating this law can result in a fine of up to €10,000 ($11,158) or a month in prison, although diplomatic immunity makes legal action against Bagherpour unlikely.
In response to widespread criticism from Austrian political parties, Bagherpour removed the post.
This incident follows a similar controversy last month involving Ahmad Sadeghi, Iran’s ambassador to Australia.
Sadeghi, who has repeatedly made antisemitic statements on social media, posted on X about the “destruction of Israel by 2027.”
Despite calls from the opposition to declare Sadeghi persona non grata, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a diplomatic rebuke instead.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Monday that the military estimated that Hezbollah fired about 230 rockets and more than 20 drones into northern Israel. However, most of the rockets and drones failed to reach their targets, he added.