In an article published on the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s (NCRI) website, the Iranian opposition group state that their representative office welcomes the conviction against an agent of the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) in Germany. They also call for the prosecution and expulsion of other Iran regime spies.
The MOIS agent was convicted for spying on the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK) and the NCRI.
They also call on the government of Germany and other European countries “to bring an end to the activities of MOIS agents on their soil, and to prosecute, sentence and expel them”.
“The prosecution of Meysam Panahi and other spies of the Iranian regime in Germany is necessary to ensure the safety of the regime’s opponents and members and supporters of the Iranian Resistance who are victims of the religious dictatorship ruling Iran.” They say that this is a necessary step, but more needs to be done – the networks of spies abroad and the officials responsible for these networks must be “prosecuted, sentenced and deported”.
The regime’s Intelligence Minister, Mullah Alavi, is the one who oversees the network and he should be brought to justice, says the Iranian Resistance. They add: “The majority of previously exposed members of the MOIS whose ties to the Iranian regime’s terrorism and spying mafia have been established continue to carry out their spying activities and cooperation with the MOIS freely across Europe, in particular in Germany.”
It has been brought to light that Meysam Panahi worked as a spy for a minimum of three years. It was discovered during court that he received payments from a senior MOIS officer called Sajjad on at least 30 different occasions. The amount totals 28,600 Euros. As well as working as a spy he also recruited members for the MOIS’s spy ring.
Panahi admitted that he provided the MOIS officer with sensitive information about Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty in Iraq where thousands of PMOI members have been residing.
Witness testimony and evidence at court revealed that the Iranian regime’s Intelligence Ministry started secret networks in Germany which they used to try and spy on and “spread misinformation to discredit the Iranian Resistance”. The PMOI and NCRI have been the main target of their activities.
It was mentioned in court that the people recruited by the MOIS “exploited their refugee status to guarantee their residency in Germany and thereafter work for the mullahs’ MOIS in European countries in exchange for receiving money”. They then “travel to Iran with the support of the regime’s embassies in order to receive training and briefings”. They got paid either by cash or via the Western Union money transfer system. Despite holding refugee status, Meysam Panahi secretly travelled to Iran to receive espionage training.
Panahi himself admitted that the MOIS “drains these mercenaries for information in particular about the constructions and the residents of Camp Ashraf and Camp Liberty”.
The NCRI remind that the camps have been attacked at least eight times between 2009 and 2016. More than 1,400 people have been injured and 141 have died as a result. “The Iranian regime’s affiliated terrorists and militias have used that information to massacre Iranian refugees who are members of the Resistance at the two camps. Those who have cooperated with the mullahs’ regime in sharing intelligence are party to these crimes.”
