|
Analysis: Iranian agents in U.S? |
|
|
|
|
Wednesday, 26 October 2005 |
 United Press International
By CLAUDE SALHANI
UPI International Editor
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Iranian Intelligence agents have entered
the United States to spread disinformation, according to the Iran
Policy Committee, a group composed mostly of former U.S. government
officials who are lobbying the Bush administration for regime change in
Teheran.
The agents, who reportedly flew into the United States from
Toronto, Canada, using Dutch and British passports, held a news
conference at the National Press Club in Washington Monday -- except no
press showed up. When opponents of the Tehran regime who were present
took photos and videos, the agents tried to have security officers
confiscate the films and tape.
The Iran Policy Committee believes the agents are in the country as "a
disinformation ploy mounted by the new president of Iran, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, who is mobilizing Iranian intelligence services in a
world-wide series of probes against the United States."
The IPC is also lobbying the Bush administration to take the Mujahedeen-e-Khlaq, or MeK, off the terrorist list.
Raymond Tanter, co-chair of the Iran Policy Committee stated that,
"Ahmadinejad is following Lenin's principle: 'You probe with a bayonet.
If you encounter mush, proceed. If you strike steel, withdraw.'" Tanter
added that, "Steel rather than mush should meet Iranian intelligence
agents sent to this country to probe for opportunities and exploit our
vulnerabilities."
Since Ahmadinejad's election as president, Iran is becoming more
aggressive in its nuclear weapons program and in its negotiations with
the European Union. He resumed activities at the Uranium Conversion
Facility in Isfahan and appointed Iranian Revolutionary Guards
commanders in charge of overseeing the country's nuclear program.
Clare Lopez, former CIA official who served behind the Iron curtain,
and Executive Director of the IPC, stated that, "Just as Ahmadinejad's
intelligence activities came before insurgent attacks in Iraq, so
Iranian intelligence actions in the United States may signal terrorist
attacks on the American homeland."
"Traditionally, intelligence operations by Iran's Ministry of
Intelligence and Security preceded assassination attempts by its
agents," said Bruce McColm, former executive director of Freedom House
and co-chair of the Iran Policy Committee.
"Because Americans of Iranian heritage are the dissidents of today and
are bound to become leaders of Iran tomorrow," said McColm, "the
Iranian regime's agents are casing the dissidents for possible
assassination. If Tehran succeeds in establishing a beachhead for
assassination in America, Iranian Americans would be first; and any of
us could be next."
The IPC has identified the Iranian agents as:
-- Karim Haqi: exposed as a veteran Iranian intelligence agent by the
Iranian Policy Committee in its June 30, 2005 White Paper. "U.S. Policy
Options for Iran: Sham Elections, Disinformation Campaign, Human Rights
Abuses, and Regime Change." The White Paper demonstrates that in Spring
2005, Haqi ran an intelligence operation that succeeded in duping Human
Rights Watch, the New York City-based American nongovernmental
organization, into fronting as a mouthpiece for Iranian intelligence.
-- Mahrukh (Parvin) Haji: An agent of Iran's intelligence service, Haji
maintains active links with a network of agents in Canada and Europe.
The Pars-Iran association, which was the organizer of the October 24,
press conference in Washington, is a front for Iranian intelligence in
Canada, according to Tanter.
-- Amir-Hossein Kord Rostami: An agent of Iran's intelligence service
in Ottawa, Rostami was officially a member of Iran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps along the Caspian Sea since 1979.
According to Sara, an Iranian student who gave only her first name and
who attended the conference, the three intelligence agents intended to
"alert" the American public of the connection and cooperation between
Iraq's former dictator Saddam Hussein and the MeK.
However, supporters of the MeK, as well as Iranians opposed to the
regime kept shouting questions at the Iranian agents, who in turn
shouted back. "One of them, Rostami, got aggressive," Sara told United
Press International. Eventually, the affair was called off.
The unanswered question is how did known Iranian intelligence agents
enter the United States, a fact that has Iranian dissidents worried.
The U.S. government knew of their presence on U.S. soil because federal
agents were keeping a discreet eye on the press conference, according
to several eyewitnesses.
Questions put to the U.S. State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs were not answered by press time. |
|
