Spymaster | Iran
Tehran's security envoy Ali Shamkhani works the international scene

The Agencies' Gazette
Vietnam's MPS, Qassem Al Araji in Tehran, France's new South East Asia diplomat, FSB

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every week, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from Hanoi to Paris, via Tehran and Moscow.

VietnamTo Lam wants to further condense public security hierarchy

Iraq/IranQassem Al Araji defuses Sulaymaniyah security issues before return to Tehran

France/Vietnam/RomaniaOlivier Brochet tipped to succeed ambassador Warnery in Hanoi

RussiaFSB's new technical director settles in

Iran
Mohammad Kazemi already at work reorganising the Revolutionary Guards' intelligence service

Only just appointed to his new post as head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence service, Mohammad Kazemi intends to respond rapidly to Ali Khamenei's wish to reform this key component of the regime's security apparatus.

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

Afghanistan, Central Asia, Russia
Central Asian spymasters want to return Russia's focus to Afghanistan

Silovik chief Nikolai Patrushev is still taking part in discussion forums run by Central Asia's intelligence chiefs worried about the Taliban security risk. But with all their efforts focused on the war in Ukraine, Russia's armed forces have been forced to gradually disengage from that part of the world.

Iran, United States
Seasoned lobbyist Ayal Frank signs up with Iranian Kurds

The communications consultant, who already works on behalf of the Syrian Kurds, was recently hired by the Iranian Kurdish party Komala. In Washington, he intends to promote the interests of the Middle Eastern minority as a whole.

Iran
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.

Iran
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.

Iran, Lebanon, Syria
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.

Iran
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.