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BBC: Iran Weaponizes Crime Syndicates for Global Operations

  • #Terrorism
  • #Murders and attempted murders
  • #Organized crime
  • #Iran
BBC: Iran Weaponizes Crime Syndicates for Global Operations
story
MAY 16
Above: Commander-in-Chief of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, attends a ceremony marking the death anniversary of the late Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, at a square in southern Tehran, Iran, on May 15, 2025. Image copyright: Morteza Nikoubazl/Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Images
story last updated MAY 18

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

These underground networks are dangerously sophisticated, allowing Iran to evade sanctions via drug trafficking and launch attacks in the West, particularly against dissidents and Israeli embassies. To end their impunity, enabled by Tehran's proxy strategy, these groups must be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations to disrupt Iran's global terror operations threatening U.S. and European security.

Atlantic CouncilFDD

Establishment-critical narrative

The U.S. has long outpaced Iran in criminal gang ties, from WWII Mafia deals to Contra-era cartels, fueling global unrest. Regarding Iran specifically, it was an illegal U.S.-U.K. coup in 1953 that ousted Iran's democratic government, sowing distrust that shapes its defiance today. U.S. and Israeli regime-change threats continue today, which shows Tehran's actions are defensive, not just aggressive.

Middle East EyeMalone

Metaculus Prediction


Public Figures

Ali Khamenei

Hossein Salami


Go Deeper

The US-Iran Conflict
Context
+27
JAN 2023JAN 2023

Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO

Uber CEO plots ‘opening up’ of Iran with Israeli-tied monarchist opposition group
GrayzoneAPR 29
Iran turns to Hells Angels and other criminal gangs to target critics
Washington PostAUG 2024
Stockholm accuses Iran of using criminals in Sweden to target Israel or Jewish interests
Associated PressMAY 2024