The Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) has accused the Iranian regime of orchestrating two assassination attempts on European soil, one in the Netherlands and another in Spain. The findings, published in the AIVD’s 2024 annual report on April 24, prompted the Dutch Foreign Ministry to summon the Iranian regime’s ambassador.
According to the report, Tehran is “likely” behind a failed murder attempt in Haarlem in June 2024 targeting an exiled Iranian activist. Two men were arrested at the scene while allegedly attempting to carry out the operation under the remote guidance of a third, unidentified suspect. One of the two arrestees is also suspected of involvement in a previous attempted assassination in Madrid in November 2023.
That attack targeted Dr. Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a former Vice President of the European Parliament and longtime critic of the Iranian regime. He survived the shooting and has since accused Tehran of attempting to silence him for his outspoken support of the Iranian resistance, particularly the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
Los servicios de inteligencia holandeses han llegado a la conclusión de que la República Islámica de Irán está detrás del intento de asesinato del disidente iraní residente en Países Bajos Siamak Tadayon y también del atentado que sufrí yo en Madrid el 9/11/2023. Los gobiernos…
— Alejo Vidal-Quadras (@VidalQuadras) April 24, 2025
Dr. Vidal-Quadras welcomed the Dutch intelligence report, stating, “This was no random incident—it was a calculated attempt to suppress dissent and instill fear among defenders of freedom and human rights.” He added that the AIVD’s findings validate what he has long maintained: “The clerical regime in Tehran organized this terrorist act because I have for decades been a staunch critic of the ruling terrorist dictatorship.”
In response to the revelations, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp summoned the Iranian ambassador. Reuters reported that the Netherlands is seeking further clarification and urging stronger protection for dissidents targeted abroad.
The incident has renewed calls across Europe to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and to expel Iranian intelligence operatives from EU territory, echoing a 1997 European Council position.
Dr. @VidalQuadras, former EU Parliament VP: "The regime’s attacks on me prove their fear of a true democratic alternative." Watch his full, powerful speech on supporting @Mojahedineng, NCRI & #Iran’s fight for freedom. pic.twitter.com/pi4EV71gyU
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 28, 2024
While the Dutch intelligence findings may not immediately trigger legal proceedings, this incident marks a shift in Dutch intelligence policy, moving away from years of official silence. Between 2015 and 2017, Iranian-linked assassinations on Dutch soil were kept largely under wraps by both the intelligence service and the Foreign Ministry, leading to frustration among members of parliament and the Iranian diaspora.
Now, Dutch authorities are following the example of British and Swedish intelligence services, which in the past year publicly attributed multiple crimes to the Iranian regime. A spokesperson for the AIVD stated, “Where necessary, we will say who is behind it—not because we expect it to stop, but to show publicly that we understand what’s happening.”
As investigations continue, European lawmakers and activists warn that the Iranian regime’s reach continues to extend far beyond its borders—and must be met with unified international resolve.