Written byShahriar Kia

The Constitutional Protection Offices of the German states of Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia have released their 2023 reports, highlighting a surge in espionage and terrorist activities orchestrated by the Iranian regime within Germany.

The annual report from Hamburg’s Constitutional Protection Office emphasizes that the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) predominantly controls and coordinates Iran’s espionage operations in Western countries. These activities are primarily focused on the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (MEK) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), organizations dedicated to overthrowing Iran’s religious dictatorship.

The Hamburg report also warns of the Iranian regime’s deep infiltration and comprehensive support of Islamic fundamentalist centers in Germany, cautioning against Iran’s efforts to export its reactionary ideology. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution assesses that pro-regime institutions in Germany function as tools of the Iranian state, promoting its theocratic doctrine.

Furthermore, the report underscores the dire human rights situation in Iran, noting systematic restrictions on personal and political freedoms by the state installed in 2021. Iran has the highest execution rate relative to its population globally, and this trend is increasing. Arbitrary arrests forced confessions, and pressure on families are common, while prisons remain overcrowded and extremely unsafe. Freedom of expression is severely limited, with internet access heavily monitored and controlled, and peaceful protests often met with violent repression.

Following the release of these reports, the German office of the NCRI issued a statement underscoring the report’s findings. It reiterated that the Iranian regime’s existence relies on brutal repression, exporting terrorism, fundamentalism, and warfare. The NCRI called for the German federal government to adopt a firm and practical policy:

  1. Listing the MOIS and IRGC as terrorist organizations and expelling their agents.
  2. Shutting down Iranian embassies and official and unofficial representations involved in espionage, terrorism, and procurement for nuclear and oppressive projects.
  3. Activating the “snapback” mechanism under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 as one of the parties to the nuclear agreement.