TEHRAN - Alireza Sheikh-Attar, a former Iranian ambassador to Germany, has said that Germany’s action in blacklisting Lebanon’s Hezbollah was to satisfy the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel.

“What Germany has done is a gesture to satisfy the United State and the Zionist regime. The move is propaganda because Hezbollah has no official and unofficial office in Germany,” he told ISNA in an interview published on Saturday.

Germany announced on Thursday it has designated the Lebanese political group Hezbollah as a terror organization, banning all of its activities in the country and ordering raids on sites police say are linked to the group.

Police told CNN a number of properties in Berlin, Bremen, and North Rhine-Westphalia were searched early on Thursday. According to the police and the German Interior Ministry, four mosques and cultural associations were raided, as well as private homes of Hezbollah’s board members, treasurers, and tax advisers.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the German government’s action, saying the move is in line with objectives of Israel and the United States.

“The German government’s decision disrespects the Lebanese government and people because Hezbollah is an official and legitimate part of the country’s government and parliament and has always been an effective political party in stabilizing the country and is being supported by the Lebanese and regional people,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in a statement on Thursday.

He noted that certain European countries take decisions without considering realities in the West Asia region.

Hezbollah has been a strong force against terrorist groups such as Daesh in (ISIS).

Mousavi noted that the German government must be accountable for the negative consequences of its decision on the fight against the terrorist groups in the region.

Writing on his Twitter page late on Friday, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani strongly criticized Germany, saying if it was not for the sacrifices of resistance groups such as Hezbollah, Daesh (ISIS) would have reached Europe.

“#ISIS did not reach Europe because it was stuck behind the walls of #Resistance,” Shamkhani said. “The mask fell down the face of terrorism supporters.”

NA/PA