Iran Regime’s Terrorist Diplomat Who Tried to Bomb MEK Free Iran Gathering Imprisoned for Third Consecutive Year

Written by
Shahriar Kia

The state-run Keyhan daily, known as the mouthpiece of the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on Wednesday wrote: “[Assadollah] Assadi’s incarceration has entered its third year.” Asadollah Assadi, the regime’s terrorist diplomat, was arrested in early July,

2018 while attempting to bomb the annual “Free Iran” gathering in Paris of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). This event was attended by thousands of Iranians, supporters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), and many renowned politicians and Members of Parliaments from the U.S., Europe, the Muslim world, Australia and Canada.

Since 2014, Assadi was the regime’s chief intelligence officer at the mullahs’ embassy in Austria, under the pretext of a diplomat. He had replaced Mostafa Roudaki, the station chief of the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) in Vienna. Roudaki later became the regime’s chief intelligence officer in Albania to further carry out terrorist plots against the MEK members who reside in Ashraf 3, Albania. The Albanian government expelled Roudaki as a “persona non-grata” for his terrorist activities, including the foiled bombing plot of the MEK’s gathering in March 2018, on the eve of the Persian New Year, along with Gholamhossein Mohammadnia, the regime’s ambassador to Albania.

Assadi was the main planner of the bombing plot against the NCRI’s Free Iran gathering in Paris. He had delivered the bomb himself to two other terrorist who were supposed to enter the gathering, disguised as MEK supporters, and carry out the bombing plot. But the two terrorists, Amir Sadoni and Nassim Nomeni, were arrested in Belgium.

At that time the NCRI in a statement revealed: “The decision to commit this major terrorist crime was taken at the highest level of the regime, i.e. the Supreme Security Council, with the presence of Rouhani and Zarif, and was confirmed by Khamenei. The submissive efforts of the Iranian regime and the lobbyists and regime allies to blame this terrorist act to the fake self-acting circles within the regime and to acquit Rouhani’s faction or Khamenei is so unfounded that with the slightest investigation its factitiousness is revealed.”

2018 witnessed a sharp surge of the regime’s terror plots on Western soil against the MEK and NCRI. The first series of the Iran protests in 2018, with people demanding the regime change, terrified the regime. The subsequent international isolation of the regime, due to its malign activities, such as re–imposition of sanctions by the United States put further pressure on the regime. Infuriated over the MEK’s leading role both during the uprising and in exposing the regime’s malign activities, the regime, which was already riddled with crises, stepped up its terrorist activities.

The regime has been using all its embassies and diplomatic cover, as well as other covers such as “journalism,” to continue its terrorist activities. In this regard, Ali Fallahian, the former head of the MOIS, in an interview said: “The ministry needs cover for its works to collect information both inside the country and outside. It is obvious that we don’t send an agent to Germany or America and for example say, ok, I am an agent of the information ministry and I am here to collect information, please give that to me. Obviously, he would work under the cover of business or other jobs including reporters. You know many of our reporters are actually ministry agents.”

In this regard the Iranian resistance has repeatedly “called for the closure of the embassies and agencies of the mullahs’ regime, the centers of terrorism and espionage, and the expulsion of diplomats and the agents of intelligence and terrorist Quds Force from the European countries, and emphasized the need to disclose and publish all details of the case. Public opinion must be fully informed about the mullahs’ regime’s terrorist plots. This is necessary to ensure the security of Iranian refugees and dissidents.”

Why the regime attempted to bomb the Free Iran gathering?

Using its diplomat to deliver the bomb was a great risk that the mullahs’ regime took. This action shows how desperate the regime is and is a sign of its deadlock. Yet, it also shows the significance of this meeting and the role of the Iranian Resistance, particularly NCRI President-elect Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, in leading the struggle for regime change and freedom in Iran.

The Free Iran gathering urges western governments to side with the Iranian people in their quest for freedom but also reflects the Iranian people’s desire for regime change. By sending a strong message of solidarity to the risen people of Iran, it has a huge impact on the restive Iranian society.

The 2020 “Global Free Iran Summit” is even more important.

The regime is grappling with crises. The 2019 nationwide Iran protests, with the MEK’s Resistance Units playing a leading role, along with the unprecedented general boycott of the regime’s sham parliamentary elections have terrified this regime. For 40 years, the mullahs have continued oppression, corruption and plundering of the Iranian national wealth for pursuing terrorism and warmongering. Now the regime’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the Iranian society into a powder keg. The regime’s malign activities have also increased its international isolation. These developments indicate that the regime’s downfall is imminent. For this reason, the regime’s apologist claim there is no alternative to this medieval regime.

So, this year’s Free Iran Global Summit, along with sending a strong message of support to the Iranian people and brave Resistance Units, confirms that regime change in Iran is imminent and that there is a democratic alternative which is capable of achieving a free Iran. Therefore, the international community must stand with the Iranian people and their Resistance.

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