Brigadier Shamseddin Farzadipour, a senior commander from the IRGC, has been clandestinely managing Iran Air since April 2022, as reported by The Telegraph and Die Welt. This disclosure emerges amid mounting apprehensions regarding the regime’s involvement in proliferating missiles and military equipment to its proxies in the Middle East and Russia.
Brigadier Farzadipour’s background as the former aviation commander for the IRGC’s Aerospace force underscores the intimate connection between Iran Air and the military. Renowned for flying transport planes, including Soviet-era Ilyushin-76 aircraft, between Iran and Syria, he facilitated the delivery of supplies to the Quds Force, supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Evidence uncovered by the National Council of Resistance of Iran suggests that Iran Air has long served as a conduit for the Iranian regime to transfer money, weapons, and equipment to its proxies, such as Hezbollah and the Houthis. This exploitation of a civilian airline for military and terrorist purposes highlights the regime’s disdain for international norms and regulations.
🇮🇷 Iran’s national airline being run by Revolutionary Guard commander https://t.co/4lRTb2CsYg
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 3, 2024
Despite calls from European leaders, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States for measures against Iran Air and other entities engaged in illicit activities, the European Union’s top foreign diplomat, Josep Borrell, has hesitated to impose new sanctions, fearing potential damage to diplomatic efforts with Tehran.
Die Welt’s report sheds further light on Iran Air’s role in facilitating terrorism. Allegedly, the airline has been used to plan and execute terrorist operations in Europe, including the foiled bomb attack on an opposition rally in Paris in 2018. Moreover, evidence points to Iran Air’s involvement in the assassination of Iranian dissidents, including Kazem Rajavi in Switzerland in 1990.
These revelations underscore the pressing need for decisive action against Iran Air and the entities orchestrating its illicit activities. Calls for designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization by the EU and reinstating sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program have gained momentum in light of these disclosures.
"#Germany and other EU countries apparently want to impose new sanctions against #Iran. According to information available to @welt, its air line is even being used for terrorist planning in Europe," writes @clemenswerginhttps://t.co/cLbpg6XayK
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) April 6, 2024
As Western nations grapple with crises in the Middle East and Europe, the Iranian regime’s nefarious activities persist, posing a significant challenge. By exploiting civilian airlines for military and terrorist ends, the regime underscores its readiness to flout international law and norms to further its agenda of repression and extremism.
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