Iran’s judiciary has called a death sentence given to Iranian-German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, "just" because he "clearly confessed" to his crimes.

Masoud Setayeshi, the Judiciary Spokesman, said the sentence was “fair”, alleging he was "one of the most [dangerous] terrorists and anti-human elements whose hands are stained with the blood of dozens of people". He is one of dozens of dual nationals held hostage in Iran, subjected to unfair trial and paraded on the world stage.

Sharmahd was kidnapped by agents of the Islamic Republic during a trip to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in August 2019.

He is accused by Tehran of heading a pro-monarchist group blamed by the government for a deadly 2008 bombing and of planning other attacks in the country.

Following last week's announcement of the death sentence, Berlin has since declared two diplomats at the Iranian embassy 'personae non gratae' and ordered them to leave the country. Nasser Kanaani, the Spokesman of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wednesday announced that Tehran has also expelled two German diplomats.

Kanaani claimed that the German ambassador in Tehran has been summoned to reassure him that "the Islamic Republic will act decisively” on the matter. He also threatened that if Western powers "ignore the fundamental standards and Iran’s national sovereignty", the Islamic Republic will use "alternative options".

According to the secretary of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, the death sentence issued to Sharmahd "could be appealed".