Iranian opposition identifies key regime terror plotter in Europe
An Iranian opposition group yesterday identified a senior regime official it says is responsible for plotting an expanded programme of terrorist attacks in Europe.
The National Council for Resistance of Iran said that Iranian agents had stepped up their action in the West since the start of this year, citing plots in Albania and Belgium and spying operations in the US.
The group, which was the target of a foiled car bomb plot at a conference near Paris in June, identified Reza Moghaddam as the key player in planning attacks and said he reported directly to the Intelligence Minister.
It said that according to information from within the regime, the budget of the Intelligence Ministry had been increased and Mr Moghaddam led a section responsible for overseas intelligence.
“He plays a key role in the regime’s terrorism in Europe,” the group said.
The council said Mr Moghaddam had been responsible for instructing the regime’s intelligence chief in Vienna, Assadollah Assadi, to oversee the planning for the attack in Paris.
The plot was foiled after Belgian police arrested an Iranian couple, residents of Antwerp, who were driving a car loaded with explosives on the way to the conference, which was attended by thousands of people including western politicians.
German prosecutors claim that Mr Assadi gave the couple the explosives in Luxembourg. He was arrested in Germany and faces extradition to Belgium.
Claims that Iran was expanding its overseas intelligence and terrorism capabilities come despite attempts by European governments to salvage trading arrangements jeopardised by US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal.
Albanian authorities disrupted a car bombing in Tirana in March at an event due to be attended by Rudy Giuliani, former New York mayor and Mr Trump’s lawyer, the council says.
Two Iranians who identified themselves as journalists were temporarily detained on suspicion of terrorism.
In June, Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, surprised analysts when he said that Iran “conducts covert assassination operations in the heart of Europe” but gave no further detail.
The council is controlled by the militant Mujahedin-e-Khalq, considered a terrorist organisation by Tehran. Two Iranians were charged with spying last month for monitoring the activities of the group in the US.
Iraj Mesdaghi, an exiled Iranian activist, said he was sceptical about the Tirana plot but believed the terrorist threat from the regime had increased.