Iran engaged in espionage on Norwegian soil

Mohammad Reza Heydari, Iran’s former diplomat to Norway, claims he knows Iranian embassies around the world monitor their citizens abroad to divide groups opposed to the Iranian government, NRK reports.

“Iran operates via its embassies by contacting people with economic or psychological problems because they cannot travel to Iran. Another method it uses is to chart people and contact them using others who are in communication with the embassy,” he said.

An anonymous asylum seeker NRK spoke to alleges he was approached by representatives of the Iran embassy who proposed helping him with his application in exchange for reporting sensitive details about opposition members in Norway.

“They offered to give me cash and pay attorney fees, saying they could send me to another country to seek asylum there if it was denied. In one of the meetings, they gave me equipment to make recordings,” he said.

The asylum applicant claims he specifically instructed to monitor Mr Heydari, who resigned his post last year in protest over the Iranian regime’s crackdown on demonstrations in the country in 2009.

“I told them hidden surveillance is spying and is illegal in Norway, asking them who would help me should I be arrested by the police. They answered the embassy could help assist me with that part of the job,” he said.

Espionage by Iran conducted on foreign countries including Norway has increased since last year’s reelection President Mahmoud Ahmadinejadi, according to a member of the Iranian opposition group who wished to remain anonymous.

“Iran has a policy directed against its own nationals living in a foreign country of doing everything it can that prevents a strong opposition to the regime being established abroad,” the individual told NRK.

The Iranian Embassy in Oslo did not wish to comment when contacted by NRK at the time.

Source: http://theforeigner.no/pages/news/updated-iran-engaged-in-espionage-on-norwegian-soil/