Reza Shafa
This question does not have a simple yes or no answer because the mullahs’ regime sees no geographical boundaries to its expansion in the Islamic world. The mullahs’ Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei considers himself as God’s sole representative on Earth who has the responsibility of leading his subjects. Yemen is no exception to this rule.
It has been quite sometime now since slowly, but effectively, the Iranian regime is supporting the insurgent Shiite groups logistically in Yemen. With the mullahs, the task would be to stir violence and unrest in the country.
What are some of the more specific plans?
• Implementing terrorist attacks on government and civilian targets under the direction of the Quds Force commanders;
• Instigating sectarian differences, an already working plan which is paying off well in Iraq;
• Smuggling drugs and other forbidden substances to create social disorder;
The Quds Force has already setup some camps for Yemenis militias fleeing to Iran. Tehran, Karaj, and Qom are among the cities housing the camps for training the new recruits coming in form Yemen. In the garrisons, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Cops (IRGC) specialized trainers brainwash the newcomers and turn them into the time bombs ready to explode.
Separately, the highly influential mullahs carefully handpick some individuals among the Yemenis militias from the IRGC-Quds camp in Qom to carry other secret missions in the Islamic world.
The Quds Force overtly finances the militia leaders and provides material support to the minority rebels in Yemen.
On May 25, the Yemenis vice Premier and Interior Minister, Rashad Al-Alimi, in a press conference, elaborated on how the IRGC is busy meddling in that country’s affairs in the Yemen’s northern province of Saada near the Saudi border. He specifically said that some Iranians have been spotted in that region. It is highly unlikely that these individuals were sightseeing in that area.
Saada Province in northern Yemen with rugged terrains is house to the country’s Shiite minority and it is no coincident that the Quds Force got busy there. The main militia commander in that region, Abdul-Malik El-Houssi receives very generous sums from his backers in Tehran.
In Yemen not only the Quds Force but its fundamentalist mentors in highly secretive and influential organizations such as Community for Religious Dialog and International Community of Ahlalbeat are involved; both entities are closely supervised by Khamenei himself. These organizations’ task is to complement the military job done by the Quds Force especially in poorest of all Muslim countries which happen to make them the most qualified for such meddling by Tehran mullahs.
They operate in Yemen by giving donations, interest free loans called Qarz-al-Hassaneh, paying tuitions for theology students, and etc. Let us not forget that there is no free lunch for any one in particular coming from the mullahs.
The regime does not stop at that, it is dispatching some agents disguised as physicians and nurses to Yemen’s northern province. Khamenei also ordered two of the regime Arab language television stations, Al-alam and Al-Kosar to advertise Yemenis militias loyal to him.
All this is done by the regime to prepare the ground in that nation for an all out civil war. Something Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his Foreign Minister warned Tehran’s rulers against it and to show how serious they are, called their ambassador from Iran.
Reza Shafa is an expert on the Iranian regime’s intelligence networks, both in Iran and abroad. He has done extensive research on VAVAK (MOIS), IRGC’s Intelligence Office, and Quds Force among others.
