Germany's Foreign Office said it was summoning the Iranian ambassador on Tuesday following the closure of two German-linked language schools in Tehran.
Iran's judiciary said the the branches were closed because of "illegal activities and financial fraud", Mizan news agency reported. Photos showed signs outside a branch of the German Language Institute of Tehran, which has links with the German embassy, being removed.
"Additionally, there have been reports of violations by other Germany-affiliated centres and investigations in this matter are ongoing," Mizan said.
Germany said there was no justification for the closures, which will leave many without qualifications or schooling. It planned to summon the Iranian ambassador to discuss the matter, a statement on Tuesday evening said.
"Language exchange forms the foundation of mutual understanding. The institute is a well-known and well-loved place of encounter where people go to great lengths to promote language learning amid challenging conditions," the Foreign Ministry said, calling for the institute to be allowed to resume teaching.
In 1995, Iranian authorities shut down Tehran’s Goethe International Institute, which was part of more than 100 sites around the world promoting German culture, language and education.
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
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Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
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Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
