Iran accused of using gangs for murders

The Dutch government has accused Iran of hiring criminal gangs to murder two Iranian dissidents in the Netherlands.

The protest came as the EU imposed sanctions on Tehran for a campaign of assassination plots across Europe.

The EU moved against Iran’s ministry of intelligence and two Iranian officials in response to known plots last year to kill an Iranian opposition leader in Denmark and to bomb a major opposition conference in France.

As part of the co-ordinated EU action, the Netherlands also revealed that it believed Iran was behind the killing of two Dutch citizens of Iranian origin who were gunned down by hit men.

Ahmad Mola Nissi, 52, was murdered in The Hague in November 2017 by a man who shot him at his front door. Nissi had been a leader in the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz, a group that advocates a breakaway Arab state in western Iran and considered a terrorist organisation by Tehran.

Ali Motamed, 56, was killed outside his home near Amsterdam in December 2015. Motamed’s real identity was Mohammad Reza Kolahi. He was allegedly responsible for carrying out a bombing in Tehran in 1981 that killed dozens of Iranian regime officials.

The Dutch foreign ministry said yesterday it had ‘‘strong indications that Iran was involved’’ but said it was keeping the evidence secret ‘‘in the interests of facilitating this common EU action’’ against Iran.

Iran is suspected of hiring Dutch gangsters for both killings. Hizbollah, the Lebanese militant group, is involved in the global drugs trade and analysts say it may have been able to facilitate connections with Dutch criminals.

Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, accused the Netherlands, France and Denmark of harbouring terrorists. ‘‘Accusing Iran won’t absolve Europe of responsibility for harbouring terrorists.’’ – Telegraph Group