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Diplomat arrested for planned attack on Iranian group in France Diplomat arrested over alleged attack plot on Iranian group in France
(35 minutes later)
An Iranian diplomat is among four people who have been arrested in in connection with what authorities said was a foiled bombing attack targeted at a rally organised by an Iranian opposition group in France at the weekend. An Iranian diplomat is among four people who have been arrested in connection with what authorities said was a foiled bombing attack targeting a rally organised by an Iranian opposition group in France at the weekend.
The Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), a fringe opposition group loathed by the Iranian establishment, accused leaders in Tehran of planning the suspected attack which French authorities said was targeted at a rally near Paris on Saturday, featuring high-profile US politicians, including Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s attorney. Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), a fringe organisation loathed by Iran’s establishment, accused leaders in Tehran of planning the suspected attack near Paris on Saturday, where an event featuring high-profile US politicians, including Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s attorney, was taking place.
On Monday, Belgian authorities said an unnamed Iranian diplomat, who works for Tehran’s mission to the Austrian capital, Vienna, was arrested in Germany, while a married couple, Belgian citizens of Iranian heritage, were detained with “attempt at terrorist murder and preparing a terrorist crime” against the MEK. A fourth suspect was arrested in France. On Monday, Belgian authorities said an unnamed Iranian diplomat, who works for Tehran’s mission to Austria, was arrested in Germany, while a married couple – Belgian citizens of Iranian heritage – were detained with “attempt at terrorist murder and preparing a terrorist crime” against the MEK. A fourth suspect was arrested in France.
The arrests come ahead of a rare visit to Europe by the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, who is scrambling to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal after Trump pulled out of agreement. Rouhani arrived in Zurich on Monday and is expected to travel to Austria on Wednesday in a bid to save the agreement. The arrests come ahead of a rare visit to Europe by the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, who is scrambling to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal after Trump said the US would not honour it.
“The conspiracy of the terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran to attack the Grand Gathering of the Iranian Resistance in Villepinte, Paris was foiled,” said a statement by the secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an umbrella group of the MEK. Rouhani arrived in Zurich on Monday and is expected to travel to Austria on Wednesday in an attempt to save the agreement.
“The mullahs’ regime’s terrorists in Belgium, helped by the regime’s diplomat terrorists, had designed for the attack,” it added, acccording to their official website. A statement by the secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an umbrella group of the MEK, said: “The conspiracy of the terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran to attack the grand gathering of the Iranian resistance in Villepinte, Paris, was foiled.
Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, rejected Iran’s involvement, and described the accusations on Twitter as a “sinister false flag ploy”. A visit by Rouhani to Austria in 2016 was cancelled after Iran objected to a planned MEK rally that was supposed to take place at the time of his visit. “The mullahs’ regime’s terrorists in Belgium, helped by the regime’s diplomat terrorists, had designed for the attack.”
On Monday Zarif wrote on Twitter: “How convenient: Just as we embark on a presidential visit to Europe, an alleged Iranian operation and its ‘plotters’ arrested. Iran unequivocally condemns all violence & terror anywhere, and is ready to work with all concerned to uncover what is a sinister false flag ploy.” Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, rejected claims of Iran’s involvement and described the accusations as a “sinister false flag ploy”. A visit by Rouhani to Austria in 2016 was cancelled after Iran objected to an MEK rally planned to coincide with his visit.
Iran has vehemently denied accusations in May by the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, that its elite Revolutionary Guards carried out “assassination operations in the heart of Europe”. “How convenient: just as we embark on a presidential visit to Europe, an alleged Iranian operation and its ‘plotters’ arrested. Iran unequivocally condemns all violence and terror anywhere, and is ready to work with all concerned to uncover what is a sinister false flag ploy,” Zarif tweeted.
The Iranian couple were in a Mercedes car when they were stopped by special forces and arrested on Saturday, in the leafy Brussels neighbourhood of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, which is close to the home of the EU institutions. According to Belgian media, police found 500 grams of TATP explosive and a detonator hidden in a toiletries bag. In May, Iran vehemently denied accusations by Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, that its elite Revolutionary Guards carried out “assassination operations in the heart of Europe”.
Belgium’s federal prosecutor, which never publishes the surnames of suspects, announced in a statement that a 38-year old man, Amir S, and his wife, Nasimeh N, who is 33, had been charged with attempted terrorist murder and preparing an act of terrorism. The Iranian couple were in a Mercedes car when they were stopped by special forces and arrested on Saturday in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, which is close to EU institutions in Brussels. According to Belgian media, police found 500 grams of TATP explosive and a detonator hidden in a toiletries bag.
Belgium’s interior minister, Jan Jambon, said there had been no threat to Belgium, in a tweet that praised the police, security and judicial services for their “rapid and effective intervention”. The threat level in Belgium, which was reduced earlier this year, remains unchanged, he added. Belgium’s federal prosecutor, which never publishes the surnames of suspects, announced in a statement that Amir S, 38, and his wife, Nasimeh N, 33, had been charged with attempted terrorist murder and preparing an act of terrorism.
Tehran considers the MEK as a terrorist organisation – a view shared by the US and the EU until not long ago. The US delisted it only in 2012, but the MEK’s animosity with today’s rulers in Tehran has earned them powerful allies in the west, most particularly among Trump’s associates such as John Bolton, who is the group’s most powerful advocate. Belgium’s interior minister, Jan Jambon, said there had been no threat to the country and praised the police, security and judicial services for their “rapid and effective intervention”. The threat level in Belgium, which was reduced earlier this year, remains unchanged, he added.
A cult-like fringe exiled Iranian opposition group, the MEK was once a sworn enemy of the United States. It was responsible for the killing of six Americans in Iran during the 1970s, and enthusiastically cheered the post-revolution seizure of the US embassy in Tehran when angry students took 52 American diplomats hostage for a period of 444 days in 1981. Tehran considers the MEK as a terrorist organisation – a view shared by the US and the EU until not long ago. The US delisted it in 2012, but the MEK’s animosity with Iran’s rulers has earned it powerful allies in the west, most particularly among Trump associates such as John Bolton, who is the group’s most powerful advocate.
Believed to have between 5,000 to 13,000 members, the MEK was established in the 1960s to express a mixture of Marxism and Islamism. It launched bombing campaigns against the Shah, continuing after the 1979 Islamic revolution, against the Islamic Republic. In 1981, in a series of attacks, it killed 74 senior officials, including 27 MPs. Later that year, its bombings killed Iran’s president and prime minister. The MEK, a cult-like fringe exiled Iranian opposition group, was once a sworn enemy of the United States. It was responsible for the killing of six Americans in Iran during the 1970s, and enthusiastically cheered the post-revolution seizure of the US embassy in Tehran, when students took 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days in 1981.
During the eight-year Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the MEK, by then sheltered in camps in Iraq, fought against Iran alongside the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was a turning point for the group, which sought to reinvent itself as a democratic force. Believed to have between 5,000 and 13,000 members, the MEK was established in the 1960s to express a mixture of Marxism and Islamism. It launched bombing campaigns against the Shah, which continued after the 1979 Islamic revolution, against the Islamic Republic.
Today, it functions as a fringe exiled group with characteristics of a cult that works for regime change in Iran, though it has little visible support inside the country. It portrays itself as a democratic political institution although its own internal structure is anything but. In 1981, in a series of attacks, it killed 74 senior officials, including 27 MPs. Later that year, the group’s bombings killed Iran’s president and prime minister.
During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, the MEK, by then sheltered in camps in Iraq, fought against Tehran alongside the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was a turning point for the group, which sought to reinvent itself as a democratic force.
Today, it has little visible support inside the country. The MEK portrays itself as a democratic political institution, although its internal structure is anything but.
MEK (People's Mujahedin of Iran)MEK (People's Mujahedin of Iran)
FranceFrance
IranIran
Rudy GiulianiRudy Giuliani
Trump administrationTrump administration
EuropeEurope
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