Security expert Peter Neumann suggests that the pro-Iranian network Hayi shows signs of being sponsored by the regime in Tehran. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday edition), the professor from King’s College London stated that there are “multiple signs of Iranian control”. He noted that the group only became visibly active after the commencement of the Iran-Iraq War, and its targeting patterns align with perceived Iranian enemies, aiming attacks at Jewish communities, Israel, US companies, and Iranian opposition groups.
Neumann also observed that the operational modus vivendi mirrors known patterns related to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s past attacks. He explained that a typical tactic involves recruiting perpetrators from criminal circles, sometimes via platforms like Snapchat. Since these individuals often lack ideological ties to Iran, they are reportedly paid to carry out the acts. This mechanism, Neumann argued, allows Tehran to plausibly deny involvement, claiming there is no “smoking gun” of evidence.
These concerns build upon a prior warning from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) regarding a possible escalation of activities by the pro-Iranian terrorist group Hayi throughout Europe.