The US Department of Justice in a recent statement drew attention to a criminal complaint that was unsealed.
Unregistered agent
It revealed that Kaveh Lotfolah Afrasiabi was charged with “acting and conspiring to act as an unregistered agent of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
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U.S. charges political scientist Kaveh Afrasiabi with acting as an agent of #Iran's regime.https://t.co/fJq6jRtBhaAfrasiabi is one of many “scholars” lobbying & pushing Tehran’s talking points in the West.
cc:@TheJusticeDept @FBIpic.twitter.com/V2WJbP9fZv
— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) January 21, 2021
He was arrested in Massachusetts where he resides and is expected in court on these charges.
A secret employee of the mullahs’ regime
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran) reported that the Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said that Kaveh Afrasiabi has spent more than ten years acting as a “neutral and objective expert on Iran”.
Afrasiabi acting to the general public, to journalists, and to Congress, when in actual fact he was a “secret employee of the Government of Iran and the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations (IMUN).
Afrasiabi being paid to spread their propaganda”. He added that he failed to register with the Department of Justice as required and that he did not disclose “who was sponsoring his views”.
Acting US Attorney DuCharme said that his office is holding the defendant accountable for concealing his work for a foreign government despite his obligations to the contrary.
A Boston-based political scientist/author is arrested & accused of peddling influence for #Iran's regime.
Kaveh Afrasiabi is accused of secretly deriving a “significant portion” of his income from Tehran for his work in the US from 2007 until this month.https://t.co/VD2cffI9My
— Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) January 20, 2021
Paid by the government of Iran
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Sweeney emphasized the severity of the charges considering that Mr. Afrasiabi failed to disclose to those with the influence that he was in fact being paid by the government of Iran.
Afrasiabi being paid, “to paint an untruthfully positive picture of the nation”. “Our laws are designed to create transparency in foreign relations, and they are not arbitrary or malleable.”
Afrasiabi is a citizen of Iran with legal residency in the US. He has a Ph.D. and often appears on television to discuss matters related to foreign relations.
Afrasiabi publishes books and articles and describes himself as a political scientist and an expert on foreign affairs.
#NoImpunity4Mullahs
US Justice makes it clear that no Iranian agent is allow to operate in America unchecked. Afrasiabi was a decades' long mistake. https://t.co/uqrMNjnYwQ pic.twitter.com/zOjWHz0L9j— Iran Freedom (@4FreedominIran) January 20, 2021
Afrasiabi has lobbied US officials
He has been employed by the Iranian government since at least 2007. Afrasiabi has lobbied US officials to advocate for policies that benefit Iran, including a congressman and the Department of State.
Afrasiabi has counseled Iranian diplomats on foreign policy matters, advocated for the government of Iran’s view during television appearances, and written articles promoting the Iranian government’s views.
Promoting the mullah’s regime views.
By his own admission, Afrasiabi has played a significant role in the Iranian regime’s propaganda machine. He emailed the Iranian Foreign Minister in July last year detailing many of the works, articles, books, journals.
Afrasiabi had participated, saying that the relationship between him and the Iranian government has been “a very productive” one that has spanned decades.
A Boston-based pol scientist has been arrested & charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent of the Iranian government.
Afrasiabi was secretly employed by the Iranian government & paid by Iranian diplomats.#Iran #ShutDownIranTerrorEmbassies #ExpelIranDiplomatTerrorists pic.twitter.com/rSwcvFGtuh— Kazem (@Kianoosh_sa1) January 20, 2021
Espionage activities
If he is convicted of the charges against him, he could spend 10 years in prison.
He is not the first person in such a situation, and he will certainly not be the last.
The Iranian regime has agents posted all over the world with the sole responsibility of lobbying on its behalf or carrying out espionage activities.
It is positive news that the United States has arrested Afrasiabi because it is taking a stand against misinformation.
It is hoped by the Iranian Resistance, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), and the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK Iran), and the people of Iran that the rest of the world will follow suit.
MEK Iran (follow them on Twitter and Facebook)
and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTube
