In a recent statement, Hamburg’s Senate sounded the alarm on the extensive activities of the Iranian regime’s intelligence operations in Germany, specifically highlighting their focus on the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). According to the Senate, the regime “utilizes its intelligence services as a key tool to secure the control of the clerical and political leadership.”
“The espionage activities of the Iranian intelligence apparatus are predominantly managed and coordinated by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS). The MOIS’s primary focus in its intelligence operations abroad is on the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and its political arm, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI),” the statement reads in part.
The Hamburg Senate’s warning echoes years of concern from German authorities. In June, the Constitutional Protection Offices of the German states of Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia released their 2023 reports, highlighting a surge in espionage and terrorist activities orchestrated by the Iranian regime within Germany.
In 2020, Germany’s Department for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, BfV) reported that Tehran’s intelligence services were actively engaged in spying on and suppressing Iranian dissidents, especially those affiliated with the MEK, both inside and outside of Iran. These activities have continued unabated, with the MOIS being the primary agency behind these operations.
In light of Hamid Noury's release today, it's crucial to revisit the endless cycle of Western appeasement fueling #Iran's regime #terror and hostage-taking. This loop, starting with Iranian dissidents, now ensnares Western officials and citizens.https://t.co/ieaaOkZb6y
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 15, 2024
In response to these persistent threats, German authorities recently conducted a major crackdown on Iranian regime interests within the country. On July 24, 2024, German police launched coordinated raids on more than 50 locations across eight federal states, targeting entities linked to the Tehran regime, including extremist mosques like the Imam-Ali-Mosque in Hamburg. These raids, which uncovered significant evidence of espionage and financial support for extremist activities, underscore the ongoing and pervasive threat posed by Iranian influence in Germany.
Iran’s state media has indirectly admitted to the regime’s involvement in terrorist activities against dissidents abroad, particularly in Europe. In an article from the state-run outlet Setareh Sobh, published on August 10, which was intended to argue against military action in response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the author inadvertently acknowledged the regime’s role in the assassinations of Iranian dissidents on European soil.
The article states, “Shapour Bakhtiar, the 86-year-old last Prime Minister of Iran before the revolution, was assassinated in Paris by the Lebanese operative Anis Nacache after seeking refuge in France post-revolution. The French government arrested Nacache and imprisoned him. Instead of launching a military response against Iran, France chose diplomacy over missiles and bombs.
#Iran News in Brief
According to #German media, a 26-year-old Iranian man is convicted of terror act in Dortmund. The defendant, with connections to the Iranian regime, was determined to carry out a #terrorist attack with toxic substances, receiving instructions on producing… pic.twitter.com/1CdfIzc2Ys— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 24, 2023
Similarly, Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou, the leader of the Kurdish Democratic Party, was assassinated in Austria, with Iran widely blamed for the act. Yet, Austria, like France, pursued the matter diplomatically, avoiding any military confrontation.
In 1992, Sadiq Sharafkandi, Secretary-General of the Kurdish Democratic Party, was murdered at the ‘Mikonos’ restaurant in Berlin. Again, Iran was the prime suspect. This time, European countries chose to isolate Iran diplomatically, recalling their ambassadors rather than engaging in military action. They could have opted for a military response but instead took the less costly route of diplomacy.”
This passage not only underscores the Iranian regime’s involvement in these brutal acts but also highlights Tehran’s banking on the West’s consistent inaction and passivity.
Furthermore, the Iranian regime has been conducting sham trials against members of the MEK and NCRI, which are intended to pave the way for increased pressure on European countries to expel these dissidents. During one such trial, a judge explicitly warned Western nations that hosting these opposition figures is “a crime according to international anti-terrorism conventions,” and called for their extradition.
In light of these developments, the European Union must reassess its approach to Tehran. The EU must adopt a more decisive policy that links any negotiations with concrete actions from Iran, including halting executions. EU members should be closing embassies that serve as fronts for espionage, and expelling diplomats involved in terrorist activities. Without such measures, Europe risks further enabling Tehran’s dangerous influence and compromising the safety of political dissidents as well as its citizens within its borders.
