Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Security services in Europe thwarted a terror plot orchestrated by the Iranian regime, against the “Free Iran 2018: the Alternative” gathering in France.
The free world must demonstrate resolve in responding to this serious and ruthless behavior, irrefutably perpetrated by Iranian regime officials, including Assadi.”
— OIAC
WASHINGTON, DC, USA, July 11, 2018 / Last week, Belgian, German and French security services thwarted a sophisticated terror plot orchestrated by the Iranian regime, against the “Free Iran 2018: the Alternative” gathering in Paris, France. On Saturday, June 30, 2018, thousands of Iranian Americans joined nearly a hundred thousand Iranians, former and current senior U.S. government officials, as well as parliamentarians and political personalities from five continents to call for regime change by the Iranian people.
According to Associated Press, Assadollah Assadi, a ‘diplomat’ based at the Iranian Embassy in Austria was arrested and charged in Germany as the coordinator of the plot. Assadi’s resume includes nefarious activities against Iranian opposition members living in Albania. An Iranian couple with Belgian citizenship, believed to have been members of an Iranian regime sleeper-cell were also arrested by Belgian police, as they headed towards France with explosives and a detonator, provided to them by the Iranian diplomat.
“Iranian regime must be held accountable and all their terrorists operating under diplomatic veil arrested for plotting to kill Iranian-Americans, American citizens, American officials, and our families,” said Dr. Saeid Sajadi, Chairman of the Iranian American Community of Kansas who attended the gathering with other community members from Kansas along with his 11-year old daughter.
OIAC warns against complacency and the temptation by a few European countries to whitewash Iran sponsored terrorist activities, and release the implicated diplomat. On July 6, 2018; U.S. Department of State highlighted a number of Iranian regime sponsored terrorist attacks, plots, and foiled activities across Europe – including its nefarious activities in Germany, Turkey, Albania, and France. OIAC also applauds swift action by the European law enforcement agencies in thwarting this latest terror plot against us, and the Iranian opposition movement.
We call on the US Congress to condemn the terror plot and urge the U.S. government to compel its allies in Europe and elsewhere to treat Iranian authorities according to their deeds and not shortsighted economic or political gains. We call on the European nations to shut down Iranian embassies and exercise vigilance in relations with Iranian authorities especially because the Iranian regime uses its diplomatic resources for terrorism planning and espionage.
The foiled terror plot against the June 30, 2018“Free Iran 2018 the Alternative,” gathering demonstrates the Iranian regime’s fear of the organized Iranian opposition, as the viable alternative to the religious dictatorship ruling Iran. Such a massive show of political prowess made the event a target as the regime faces rising protests, a collapsing economy, and growing international isolation. The free world must demonstrate resolve in responding to this serious and ruthless behavior, irrefutably perpetrated by Iranian regime officials, including Assadi.
Dr. Majid Sadeghpour
OIAC
202-876-8123
