MOIS: Escalating Threat to US and Israeli Security

Erfan Fard

Iran’s intelligence agencies, primarily MOIS and IRGC Intelligence Organization, aim to maintain the regime’s power by repressing domestic and international dissidents and organized opposition. They closely monitor rival governments, particularly in the Middle East, seeking insights into their plans and evaluating Iran’s policies. Furthermore, they focus on acquiring materials for arms production, especially missiles and drones. MOIS operates through civilians based in European embassies, blending in more effectively, aiming to procure technology and exploit international sanctions loopholes, often in coordination with IRGC intelligence.

The U.S. Treasury and State Departments imposed sanctions on MOIS due to severe human rights abuses against Iranians, particularly since June 12, 2009. These abuses, including beatings, sexual abuse, and coercive interrogations, were notably witnessed in Evin Prison’s Ward 209, controlled by MOIS, post the 2009 Iranian elections. Moreover, MOIS employed abhorrent interrogation methods such as mock executions and sexual violence. Additionally, the agency targeted opposition members, monitoring their activities and obtaining their passwords. The sanctions were imposed under E.O. 13553 for MOIS’s involvement in these grave violations.

In September 2021, the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) of Iran has faced sanctions imposed by the United States multiple times. The sanctions were primarily due to human rights abuses, involvement in state-sponsored terrorism, supporting militant groups, and engaging in activities against U.S. and allied interests.

Similarly, the European Union has imposed sanctions on specific individuals and entities associated with MOIS due to concerns related to human rights violations, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and suppression of political dissidents and opposition figures. These sanctions were part of broader measures targeting individuals and organizations involved in human rights abuses in Iran. However, it is important to note that MOIS has been engaged in activities that some countries and organizations perceive as supporting terrorism or being involved in state-sponsored terrorism.

The sanctions are primarily based on several factors:

Support for Militant Groups: MOIS has been providing support, funding, and training to various militant groups in the Middle East and beyond. These groups are often categorized as terrorist organizations due to their activities, including attacks against civilians, military personnel, and government facilities.

Involvement in Assassinations and Attacks: MOIS has been involved in planning and executing assassinations of dissidents and opposition figures outside Iran’s borders. This includes attacks on political opponents and individuals critical of the Iranian government.

Role in State-Sponsored Terrorism: Some countries and entities view MOIS as a tool of the Iranian government in conducting state-sponsored terrorism, wherein it supports and coordinates acts of terrorism to advance the interests of the Iranian regime.

Suppression of Dissidents: MOIS is engaging in human rights abuses, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and persecution of political dissidents and activists, leading to concerns about its practices and objectives.

It’s important to recognize that the designation of an organization as a terrorist entity involves a complex process, often influenced by political, diplomatic, and legal considerations. Different countries and organizations may have varying criteria and standards for designating groups as terrorist organizations.

Function and Record of MOIS in Iran:

The MOIS in Iran is a formidable intelligence agency entrusted with protecting the regime’s interests, both within the country and beyond its borders. Its multifaceted functions encompass intelligence gathering, counterintelligence, surveillance, monitoring of political dissidents, management of internal security threats, and covert operations to ensure the regime’s safety. MOIS holds a pervasive role in monitoring and stifling political opposition, human rights activists, journalists, and others perceived as threats to the Iranian government. The MOIS operates through an extensive network of agents and informants, both domestically and internationally. Renowned for its robust cybersecurity capabilities, the agency employs cyber warfare strategies to monitor and counter perceived adversaries. It plays a critical role in controlling the narrative, stifling dissent, and ensuring the dominance and longevity of the Islamic regime.

Esmail Khatib’s Record Since 2021: A Rising Peril to US and Israeli Interests

Esmail Khatib, appointed as Iran’s Minister of Intelligence in 2021, presents a growing threat not only to Iran’s domestic stability but also to global security, particularly concerning the interests of the United States and Israel. Khatib’s record since assuming office highlights alarming traits, making him a significant concern for international security.

Khatib has displayed a propensity for falsehoods, illusions, and an adversarial stance against the United States and Israel. He operates under a shroud of deception, boasting of capturing CIA and Mossad agents with alarming frequency, feeding into a fabricated narrative of his prowess. His statements are replete with lies, aiming to project a false image of strength and influence. Additionally, Khatib has demonstrated a clear proclivity for terrorism and a staunch opposition against any dissent or opposition to the Iranian regime. Disturbingly, Khatib has been instrumental in triggering various terrorist groups, orchestrating, and urging them against Israel. Moreover, he has sought to activate “sleeper cells” affiliated with the MOIS in Latin America to carry out activities within the United States. This move is part of a broader plot to retaliate against individuals linked to the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, including notable figures within the Trump circle.

Esmail Khatib’s associations and activities point to a deep-rooted alignment with radical Islamism, emphasizing loyalty to the Iranian regime’s ideologies and objectives. His tenure as the Minister of Intelligence has witnessed a continuation of MOIS’s traditional functions, with an escalated focus on surveillance, intelligence gathering, and suppression of dissenting voices, both within Iran and in the Iranian diaspora.

Khatib’s expertise in Islamic jurisprudence, coupled with his ideological alignment, positions him as a key figure in shaping and executing the MOIS’s policies. Under his leadership, the MOIS is likely to intensify efforts to maintain the regime’s grip on power, suppress opposition, and bolster Iran’s strategic interests, both at home and on the global stage.

Conclusion: Urgent Action Required

In the context of intelligence agencies, the key difference is the absence of a U.S. equivalent to Iran’s IRGC and its unrestrained surveillance. U.S. laws prevent spying on its citizens, a contrast to Iran, where agencies can surveil both domestic and foreign targets with fewer constraints. The MOIS in Iran functions akin to a merged FBI and CIA, with both domestic and international investigative powers. Similarly, the U.S. and Iran have analogous counterintelligence bodies to ensure compliance with rules and proper use of classified information. However, the U.S. maintains a clear division between civilian and military intelligence, unlike Iran’s blended approach, where military forces like the IRGC engage in domestic repression.

The appointment of Esmail Khatib as the Minister of Intelligence underlines a concerning trajectory in Iran’s political climate. This development signifies a shift towards a more aggressive and potentially dangerous approach under Khatib’s leadership. Given his known associations and activities, there is a clear and immediate threat to the United States and Israel.

The international community must closely monitor these developments and proactively prepare for a more assertive and aggressive Iranian regime under Khatib’s tenure. Swift and strategic action is imperative to safeguard not only the interests of the US and Israel but also to ensure stability and security on a global scale. A senior CIA official confided in me, expressing their opinion that he is malevolent!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erfan Fard is a counter-terrorism analyst and Middle East Studies researcher based in Washington, DC. He is in Middle Eastern regional security affairs with a particular focus on Iran, counter terrorism, IRGC, MOIS and ethnic conflicts in MENA. He graduated in International Security Studies (London M. University, UK), and in International Relations (CSU-LA).  Erfan is a Jewish Kurd of Iran, and he is fluent in Persian, Kurdish, Arabic and English. / Follow him from this twitter account @EQFARD / The newly published book of Erfan Fard is: “The gruesome mullah” , which has been published in the USA.

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