The Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution has issued a damning report exposing the clerical dictatorship’s expanding espionage operations in Europe, with a particular focus on Iranian dissident groups—especially the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
The report warns that the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) prioritizes targeting the PMOI and NCRI in Western countries. These groups, which advocate the overthrow of the religious dictatorship in Iran, are the primary focus of Tehran’s foreign intelligence activities, including surveillance and subversion. The report confirms that MOIS efforts are orchestrated to undermine these opposition movements through espionage and potentially violent means.
The Hamburg report also underscores the banning of the Islamic Centre Hamburg (IZH) and five affiliated institutions by Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior, citing their role as “extremist entities” loyal to Tehran. These centers were accused of promoting Hezbollah, spreading antisemitism, and violating Germany’s democratic constitutional order.
#German Authorities Warn of Increasing Espionage and Terrorism Activities by #Iranian Regimehttps://t.co/5r882bWNVv
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) June 19, 2024
A similar report from Bavaria, published in June, further details the Iranian regime’s covert operations. The Bavarian intelligence service identified the IZH as Tehran’s main propaganda hub in Europe and linked it directly to the Supreme Leader’s office. The report revealed that the regime employs not only its official intelligence arms—MOIS, IRGC Intelligence, and Quds Force—but also criminal networks to conduct surveillance, kidnappings, and even assassinations across the continent. Iran’s diplomatic missions in Germany, including consulates in Frankfurt, Munich, and Hamburg (now shuttered), were described as operational covers for these activities.
Both reports paint a picture of a regime that systematically exports repression. According to Hamburg’s findings, human rights in Iran remain dire, with mass executions, brutal suppression of protests, and systemic gender discrimination. The judiciary lacks independence, and critics are routinely imprisoned or silenced.
In sum, German intelligence agencies have issued an unambiguous warning: Tehran’s presence in Europe is not diplomatic—it is operational, ideological, and dangerous. The clerical regime, cloaked in religious legitimacy, continues to weaponize terror and espionage to suppress its opponents, both at home and abroad.