All articles - Iran

The Agencies' Gazette
Hossein Taeb dismissed, DGSE gets Tripoli villa, DRM celebrates 30th anniversary, New narrative in Belarus

Appointments, reforms and key issues: every Monday, we report on events both big and small that matter in the global intelligence community. This week we home in on Iran, France and Belarus.

IranTehran's Pasdaran spymaster on the way out

FranceLuxury villa awaits DGSE chief in Tripoli

FranceEx-directors absent from DRM's 30th anniversary

BelarusNew narrative in security circles towards the West

Pasdaran play kingmakers in Ali Khamenei's succession

With pressure building to name a successor to Iran's ailing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the Pasdaran are manoeuvring to influence the appointment. President Ebrahim Raissi is their current favourite.

Tanker that resurfaced as Iranian warship linked to Emirati royals

The well-connected Suwaidi family failed last month in its bid to sue its insurance company over a "lost" ship. The clan lies at the heart of labyrinthine interests that tie it to Abu Dhabi's royal dynasty.

Iran hands reins of nuclear intelligence to the Pasdarans

The country's intelligence services have been undergoing a major overhaul since Ebrahim Raisi's arrival in office and an entirely new branch to monitor Iran's highly sensitive nuclear programme has been created. The new nuclear service adds another string to the Pasdarans' bow.

Between Beirut and Tehran, Ali Mamlouk gets back into regional affairs

Syrian spymaster Ali Mamlouk appears to be back in favour with President Bashar Al Assad, who recently sent him to Tehran to negotiate reducing the influence of Shi'ite militia groups under Iran's control. Mamlouk is also watching over the upcoming elections in Lebanon and giving a helping hand to pro-Syrians in the race.

Pasdaran tries to engage Popular Mobilization Forces in Houthi rebellion

With Yemen's Houthi forces feeling the strain of heavy losses, Iran is struggling to find new recruits for the conflict locally and is now hoping to send in Iraqi fighters.

After Baghdad meetings, Riyadh and Tehran count on Amman's mediation

Saudi Arabia and Iran are determined to pursue their secret dialogue, with the help once again of their Iraqi go-between Qassem Al Araji.

Iran appoints top military official Abdul Reza Shahlai following ambassador's death

Iran is determined to keep on top of the strategic battle for Marib and has appointed Abdul Reza Shahlai, a senior military official who will not be given a diplomatic title, to replace Hassan Erlou, its ambassador in Sa'ana, who died in mysterious circumstances last month.

Iranian cyberspecialist Cysec selling its technology from Kazan to Tehran

Founded in Tehran, Lotus Gostar Arya (or Cysec) now operates from Kazan and continues to export its cyber security tools to Iran. This comes at a time of increasing cooperation between Russia and Iran on cyber issues.

Pasdaran continue to build up their cyber warfare capacity

Iran, which is determined to move into cyber space to engage with Israel and other enemies, is continuing to develop its electronic "army", under the watchful eyes of the Pasdaran and Russia, which has been advising the country.

Spotlight
Tehran briefed on New Delhi's plans for dealing with the Taliban

As India looks to establish itself as the main regional channel of communication with the Taliban government in Afghanistan, it has reactivated its traditional alliances in Central Asia but also its security cooperation with Iran.

Magnate Fahd Darwish leads Iranian economic offensive in Damascus

After investing heavily in military support for Syrian president Bashar Al Assad's regime, Iran is now looking to strengthen its economic position in Syria, where it does not want to be overtaken by Russia or China.

Turkish and Iranian spies take cloak and dagger warfare from Afghanistan to Lebanon

The Taliban takeover of Kabul has opened a new battle front between the intelligence and hybrid warfare services of Turkey and Iran, who are already at daggers drawn over all of the regional issues.

Spotlight
Pasdaran seek to open new front against Azerbaijan

After military manoeuvres at its border, Iran fears it could be encircled by Azerbaijan and is concerned about Israel's increasingly stronger engagement with Baku.