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On 25 April 2025, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Dutch ambassador to Tehran, the official IRNA news agency reported. This step was a response to the actions of the Netherlands, which had summoned the Iranian ambassador the day before over suspicions that Iran was involved in two assassination attempts.
According to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alireza Yousefi, the Netherlands’ accusations are “ridiculous” and based on “suspicions or assumptions”. Yousefi said it was unfortunate that the Dutch diplomatic service “so easily succumbs to speculation imposed by the intelligence services and the Zionist regime (Israel)”. He also criticised the summons of the Iranian ambassador as an “absurd fabrication”.
The Netherlands summoned the Iranian ambassador after the Dutch intelligence service AIVD said in its annual report published on 24 April that Iran was likely behind two assassination attempts in the Netherlands and Spain. According to the report, in June 2024, two men were arrested in the Dutch city of Haarlem after an attempted assassination attempt on an Iranian resident in the country. One of the suspects is also believed to be involved in a failed assassination attempt on Spanish politician and Iranian critic Alejo Vidal-Quadras in Madrid in November 2023.
This incident highlights the tensions between Iran and the West, in particular over accusations of Tehran’s involvement in international incidents. Iran categorically rejects the accusations, calling them groundless and politically motivated.
Source: Reuters
