German Intelligence Uncovers Iranian Effort To Gather Materials For Weapons Of Mass Destruction

(New York, N.Y.) – Last week, a German domestic intelligence and security agency revealed that Iran has been secretly orchestrating efforts to procure technology and materials on German soil to advance its weapons of mass destruction program and missile delivery systems. The agency outlined in its report how Iranian intelligence staff pose as diplomats to gather information “either in the open or through covert means” and offer direct advisement and support to Tehran for conducting intelligence operations.

The report is the latest in a growing body of evidence in recent days that Iran is actively leveraging a network of spies in Europe – and across the globe – to accelerate its nuclear weapon capabilities and coordinate attacks against regime opposition, Iranian dissidents, and religious minorities, including Jewish and pro-Israel groups and individuals.

United Against Nuclear Iran’s (UANI) resource, Iran’s Malign Intelligence Activities, is a comprehensive study into the Islamic Republic's global intelligence apparatus and operations. To this day, Iran uses its embassies and consulates in Europe and throughout the region to operate an interconnected web of mosques, cultural centers, educational institutions, charities, and media organs that double as fronts for Iran’s malign ambitions.

In 2018, Iranian diplomat Asadollah Assadi, who was stationed at the Iranian embassy in Vienna, was arrested in Germany for his role in plotting to bomb a gathering of Iranian opposition groups in Paris. Later that year, Denmark revealed its domestic intelligence agency suspected Iranian intelligence of "planning an attack on Danish soil" targeting Iranian dissidents. In 2017, Dutch officials pointed to Iran for the murder of two Iranian dissidents on Dutch soil.

The Ministry of Intelligence (MOI) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Intelligence Organization (IRGC-IO) play crucial roles in supporting Iran’s efforts to preserve and export the Islamic Revolution. While the Quds Force – the IRGC’s foreign expeditionary force – is at the forefront of Iran’s global campaign of state-sponsored terrorism and subversion, Iran’s intelligence agencies play an active role behind the scenes, providing material, technical, logistical and operational support to the Quds Force and Iran’s terrorist proxies, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and various Shia militias. At times, MOI and IRGC-IO act independently of one another to further Iranian foreign policy objectives. UANI also has a leadership profile of Iran’s Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, analyzing his career and rise to power. He plays an important role in Iran’s intelligence community.

Iran’s primary methods of regime preservation and revolutionary expansion center on coercion, censorship, and torture at home, and terrorism, criminal enterprises, assassinations, and subversion abroad. Iran’s intelligence services are vital elements of these efforts, playing a malign leading role in the Islamic Republican regime’s support for terrorism and crackdowns against opposition.

To read UANI’s resource, Iran’s Malign Intelligence Activities, please click here.

To read UANI’s profile, Hojatoleslam Mahmoud Alavi, please click here.

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