Iran: Murder for hire - BBC World Service Documentaries

Summary of YouTube Video:

Key Concepts:

• Targeted assassinations and abductions of Iranian dissidents and journalists abroad by the Iranian regime.
• Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its Quds Force (Unit 840) as key actors in these operations.
• Naji Sharifi Zindashti: A mafia boss and drug trafficker allegedly working as an asset for Iranian intelligence, coordinating and executing plots.
• Use of criminal proxies (e.g., Hell's Angels, Thieves in Law) to carry out attacks.
• Diplomatic immunity exploited by Iranian officials involved in these plots.
• Online harassment and threats against Iranian journalists.
• Sanctions imposed by Western countries on Iranian security forces and individuals involved in the plots.

1. Iranian Regime's Targeted Attacks:

• For decades, the Iranian regime has been targeting critics living abroad.
• President Trump was a high-profile target after ordering the air strike that killed Qasem Soleimani.
• Ayatollah Khamenei vowed revenge for Soleimani's death.
• In 2024, the US accused Iran of attempting to assassinate Trump, which Iran denied.
• Iranian journalists and dissidents worldwide are increasingly targeted.
• MI5 reported 20 credible plots against Iranian nationals in the UK since 2022.

2. Sima Sabet's Case (Attempted Assassination in the UK):

• Sima Sabet, a former host at Iran International, was targeted for assassination.
• The initial plan was a car bomb, followed by a knife attack.
• The hitman, a people-smuggler, turned double agent and informed security services.
• Unit 840 of the Quds Force ordered the attack through a Syrian commander.

3. Saeed Karimian's Assassination (Istanbul, 2017):

• Saeed Karimian, who ran Gem TV channels airing Western content, was assassinated.
• The Iranian regime was unhappy with his programming, which they considered against Islamic values.
• Initial reports suggested a business feud, but evidence pointed to Iranian involvement.
• Naji Sharifi Zindashti's driver was identified as having conducted reconnaissance for the murder.

4. Masoud Molavi Vardanjani's Assassination (Istanbul, 2019):

• Masoud Molavi Vardanjani, a former member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards who had defected, was assassinated.
• He published details of corruption within the Iranian leadership on his Telegram account, "Black Box."
• An Iranian diplomat was arrested in connection with the plot but released after claiming diplomatic immunity.
• The shooter was identified as one of Zindashti's men, the brother of Zindashti's driver.

5. Habib Chaab's Abduction (Turkey, 2020):

• Habib Chaab was lured from Sweden to Turkey and abducted.
• The Iranian regime accused him of plotting attacks against Iranian security forces.
• He was smuggled back to Iran, where he was convicted and executed after a show trial.
• Zindashti's nephew was arrested in Turkey in connection with the kidnapping.

6. Naji Sharifi Zindashti: The Alleged Kingpin:

• Zindashti is described as a notorious drug trafficker with strong connections to Iranian intelligence.
• He was arrested for drug smuggling in 1996 and sentenced to death but allegedly escaped prison after killing a guard.
• It is suggested that his release and subsequent freedom were due to his cooperation with Iranian intelligence.
• US authorities consider Zindashti an asset of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.
• He is the prime suspect in the murders of Saeed Karimian and Masoud Molavi Vardanjani, and the abduction of Habib Chaab.
• Zindashti rejects these claims and denies any relationship with Iranian security forces.

7. Maryland Assassination Plot (USA):

• The US Department of Justice and FBI indicted several people for plotting to assassinate two Maryland residents.
• One of the targets was a defector from Iran.
• Zindashti was implicated in the plot, communicating with members of the Hell's Angels biker gang.
• The online chat revealed Zindashti agreeing to pay $370,000 for the assassination, demanding it "be overkill" and to "erase his head from his torso."
• General Ali-Reza Asgari, a former Deputy Defence Minister of Iran who allegedly defected to the US, was speculated as a potential target.

8. Masih Alinejad Kidnapping Plot (New York):

• The FBI thwarted a kidnapping plot targeting Masih Alinejad, a female Iranian activist in New York.
• Four Iranian intelligence officers were charged in absentia.
• The plan involved kidnapping her in New York, transporting her to Venezuela via boat, and then to Tehran for a show trial and likely execution.
• An Azeri Shia was later arrested near her home with an AR-15 and ammunition.
• The hitmen were members of the Thieves in Law, a notorious international criminal gang from the former Soviet Union.

9. UK Sanctions and Zindashti's Interview:

• In January 2024, the UK government sanctioned Zindashti, members of his gang, Iranian diplomats, and Unit 840 of the Quds Force.
• Zindashti gave a rare interview denying involvement in the plots, claiming the accusations are an attempt to damage his reputation.
• He admitted to having contact with tribes in the region and security bases around them.

10. Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump:

• The FBI thwarted a murder-for-hire plan targeting President-elect Donald Trump.
• An Iranian government official directed a contact in the US to kill Trump.
• This was allegedly in retaliation for the killing of General Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
• The Iranian regime has rejected these allegations.

11. Conclusion:

• Lethal operations against critics of the Iranian regime have accelerated in recent years.
• Naji Zindashti, the alleged kingpin behind many of these plots, remains a wanted man.
• The Iranian regime is using criminal networks to target dissidents and perceived enemies abroad.
• Intelligence services in the US and Europe are actively investigating and attempting to disrupt these operations.