The Military Command of Austria has come under fire for inviting the Iranian military attaché to a parade in Vienna on the Austrian National Holiday.
On October 26, the Iranian officer marched across Vienna’s central Heldenplatz square along with guests from other countries, including British and Serbian military representatives.
The officer was identified as Amir Yaryab, the military attaché of Iran at the country’s Austrian embassy. Brussels Signal contacted the embassy to confirm his identity but had not received a response at the time of writing.
An Iranian IRGC officer, apparently the country's military attaché in Vienna, attended the Austrian National Day parade held on October 26, a video shared by @Vahid shows, amid growing calls for Europe's designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. pic.twitter.com/Yyz64g0ofv
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) October 29, 2024
Observers noted that he wore the uniform of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – a paramilitary organisation that supports Iran’s proxy militias in the Middle East region. They include the terrorist organisations Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Syria.
Several countries, including Israel and the US, have also designated the IRGC a terrorist group.
The invitation has drawn sharp criticism from Iranians living in exile as well as from Jewish representatives.
Bini Guttmann, member of the executive council of the Jewish World Congress, said: “Calling it a scandal would be an understatement.”
On October 30, Michael Bauer, spokesman for the Austrian Army, confirmed the invitation. He said the military attaché was “accredited in Austria” and that it was standard procedure to invite all such attachés to the National Holiday parade.
The invitation, as well as the question of whether the guest was indeed wearing the uniform of the IRGC, were currently under internal review, he added.
Austria also has a military attaché in Tehran – one of few Western countries still to do so.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry (MFA) told local media on October 30 that the invitation was a decision of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The MFA itself would not invite any Iranian, Russian or Belarusian representatives to official events, it stated.
Brussels Signal reached out to the MOD for comment but had not received a response at the time of writing.
The revelation was especially delicate given Austrian UN soldiers stationed in Lebanon have recently come under fire, believed to be from Hezbollah.
On October 29, a missile struck a building in the Naqoura camp in the country. According to the MOD, eight Austrian soldiers suffered minor injuries.
The UN said in a statement on October 29 that the rocket was likely fired by Hezbollah or an affiliated group.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer refrained from officially criticising Hezbollah or Iran over the incident.
In a statement on October 30, he limited himself to saying: “All sides had an obligation to care for the safety of the UN peacekeepers.”
