Western Nations Condemn Iranian Intelligence Operations in Europe and North America
A coalition of 14 Western nations, including NATO members and Austria, has issued a joint statement denouncing Iran’s intelligence services for alleged attempts to kill, kidnap, and harass individuals in Europe and North America. The statement, released on Thursday, asserts that these actions represent a clear violation of their sovereignty and highlights a growing collaboration between Iranian intelligence and international criminal organizations to target journalists, dissidents, Jewish citizens, and former officials.
The signatories, wich include Albania, Belgium, Britain, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United States, and Austria, have committed to working together to thwart such plots. They have also called on Iran to cease these “illegal activities” on their territories. While the statement did not specify any particular incident, it comes amid ongoing concerns from U.S. and European officials regarding Iranian-sponsored operations on Western soil.
British intelligence has previously warned of escalating Tehran-backed plots within the UK, with three individuals currently facing charges for alleged surveillance and violence plotting against UK-based journalists working for an Iranian news outlet. A recent report from the UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Commitee characterized Iran as a “wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat to the U.K.”
In July, German prosecutors announced the arrest of a man in Denmark suspected of gathering facts on Jewish sites and individuals in Berlin for Iranian intelligence, with potential implications for attacks.
Despite these persistent threats, the Trump management earlier this year reportedly rescinded government-funded protection for several former officials from his first term. This protection had been extended by the Biden administration due to credible threats from Iran against former national security adviser John Bolton, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Iran envoy brian Hook, and several military officers.