Following the arrest of a Danish citizen on suspicion of espionage for Iran, CDU security policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter has expressed concerns about the possibility of further undetected cases.
Speaking to Handelsblatt, Kiesewetter stated, “Unfortunately, I am certain that Iranian agents have already scouted potential targets in Europe”. He added that the “terror regime of the Mullahs” utilizes terror both domestically and internationally to stabilize its system, primarily targeting entities and individuals linked to Israel and the United States, as well as exiled Iranians.
German intelligence agencies estimate that Tehran maintains a network of potentially thousands of agents and collaborators abroad, including within Germany. Kiesewetter concurs with this assessment, noting that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also has “its own people and networks within right-wing extremist, left-wing extremist and Islamist circles”. He also emphasized the need to consider the mobilization potential through social media platforms like TikTok. Kiesewetter believes that officially designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization is crucial to restrict their operational capabilities.
Intelligence Controller Konstantin von Notz (Greens) urged for continued heightened vigilance. He emphasized that the recent events demonstrate that “serious threats to our democracy, its institutions and to people living in Germany do not solely originate from Russia, but also from other authoritarian states, including Iran”.