TEHRAN, April 25, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Iran on Friday summoned the Dutch ambassador to protest what it said were "baseless accusations" by the Dutch spy agency, which alleged Iranian involvement in a foiled assassination attempt in the Netherlands.

The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) said in its annual report that Iran was likely behind a thwarted assassination attempt on an Iranian man living in the northern city of Haarlem in June last year.

Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp on Thursday summoned Iran's ambassador over the accusation, a ministry spokesperson confirmed to AFP.

The Iranian foreign ministry rejected the claims and dismissed any Iranian role in the assassination attempt as "unfounded", in a statement published by state news agency IRNA.

"It is regrettable that the Dutch diplomatic apparatus... levels baseless accusations against Iran and subsequently summons Iran's ambassador based on this ridiculous falsehood," the statement added.

AIVD has said that "on the basis of intelligence, it is probable that Iran is responsible for assassination attempts."

The agency linked one of the suspects to the attempted killing of Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a vocal critic of Iran, who survived a drive-by shooting in Madrid last November.

Tensions between the two countries have flared in the past over similar allegations.

In 2019, the Netherlands accused Iran of involvement in the killings of two dissidents in 2015 and 2017, which led to the expulsion of two Iranian diplomats.

The AIVD report said it continues to assess potential threats ahead of a NATO summit to be held in the Netherlands this year.