Iran Retaliation List: Politicians Warn of Attacks in Germany

Growing Warnings from CDU and SPD

Kiesewetter also warned of acute dangers from Iranian actors. "Das Risiko sei groß, dass iranische Dienste und ihre Netzwerke auch in Deutschland Anschläge verüben", he stated to the "Handelsblatt". With this, he pointed to a dimension that goes beyond the symbolic effect of the list.

From the ranks of the SPD, the domestic policy expert Fiedler shared this assessment. SPD domestic policy expert Fiedler also sees a heightened threat situation. Accordingly, the challenge for the security authorities is great. Fiedler also named possible actors: As possible actors, he cited extremist structures, criminal networks, and paid violent offenders.

The Greens also see a concrete danger. Greens parliamentary group vice von Notz stated that the risk of Iranian intelligence services using proxies in Germany for retaliatory actions was "äußerst real". With this, a cross-party consensus is growing that the security authorities must be prepared.

Background: What Does the Retaliation List Mean?

The debate comes at a time when European security services have repeatedly warned of an increase in Iranian intelligence activities in Europe. Observers consider the list an attempt by the Iranian leadership to exert pressure on Western governments without having to strike directly. At the same time, it could be understood as a call to sympathizers to act on their own.

The security politicians are therefore calling for broader investigation of possible networks in Germany. Kiesewetter and Fiedler spoke out in favor of consistent monitoring of extremist structures and better cooperation between the authorities. Concrete measures were not initially announced publicly by the federal government.

It remains unclear so far how seriously the Iranian leadership takes the list itself. Observers point out that Iranian media have repeatedly published threats against Western politicians in the past, with no concrete attacks following. Nevertheless, the German authorities have classified the situation as tense.

Reactions in Berlin and Brussels

The news was broadcast on 13.07.2026 on Deutschlandfunk and triggered immediate reactions in political Berlin. The parliamentary groups announced a special session of the Interior Committee for the coming week, in which the threat situation is to be discussed.

Security experts emphasize that a mere naming on the list does not yet prove a concrete attack plan. However, they see it as an indication that Iran has tightened its threatening posture toward Europe — and that Western security authorities must adapt their defensive measures.

With the publication of the list, the question of how endangered exposed politicians and public institutions in Germany actually are is coming to the fore. The coming weeks should show whether the security authorities find indications of concrete preparatory actions.