TEHRAN- Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned in the Austrian Ambassador stationed in Tehran.

This action follows the Austrian Foreign Ministry summoning Iran's ambassador. On August 27, 2024, the director general of Iran’s foreign ministry's Western Europe Office summoned the Austrian Ambassador to discuss the matter.

Earlier that Tuesday, Iranian Ambassador to Vienna, Abbas Bagherpour, shared a post endorsing Hezbollah’s recent airstrike on Israel.

In response, the Austrian Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's ambassador due to his online support for Hezbollah, which included the group's flag alongside the declaration “Hezbollah will win.”

The Austrian foreign ministry expressed strong disapproval, stating, “We strongly condemn the use of the image of the Hezbollah flag in the Iran’s ambassador's message.”

Following significant backlash from various Austrian political parties, Bagherpour subsequently deleted the post.

Austria's stance on Hezbollah is integrated into a wider global initiative aimed at diminishing the group's influence, which encompasses its participation in military conflicts, political activities, and the provision of social services in Lebanon. 

This perspective is consistent with that of other Western countries that regard Hezbollah as a major security risk.

In 2021, Austria joined several other EU countries in designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.