Iran: Mullahs' meddling in US backyard

Friday, 29 February 2008

By: Reza Shafa

It has been quite sometime now that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has its eye on the Latin America as a fresh opportunity to battle with the civilized world.

The underdogs -- as it has been in similar cases in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and elsewhere that the IRGC set its foot -- are the poor people of that region. It usually arrives with packages of irresistible offers to the needy host nations with such lucrative deals like renovating their infrastructures; most of the targeted countries are in desperate need of road constructing, airport renovations, ports rebuilding etc.

Lebanon is a prime example when IRGC arrived looking like a savior just sent from heaves right after the 33-day war in 2006 to help the tormented people of the region, which itself, according to credible information from inside sources within the mullahs' regime, helped ignite the war in the first place . IRGC is examining the following targets to begin in Central America.

Nicaragua

This time Nicaragua is the prey. The IRGC is following the same old tactics it used in other countries; presenting Managua with solutions to ease its financial troubles but with a slight difference in this case of first offering to give military aid to the country for modernizing its army, according to latest information received from the inside sources in Iran.

IRGC agents arrived in Monkey Point in Nicaragua's Atlantic Cost to start building a road with the purpose of getting the old military airport up and running in the region. The project is financed, as a joint venture, with Venezuela and the Iranian regime.

Apart from military assistance, the mullahs' regime, under the pretext of promoting cultural issues through media advertisements, has dispatched a number of teams to produce T.V. programs in Managua. However, their real mission is to find ways in which the clerical regime may precede with its cynical intentions.

Bolivia

On February 19, the Bolivia's president Evo Morales announced that the Iranian regime is planning to open a television station covering the "entire Latin America," in his country. The statement was condemned by the US and a congressional delegation went to La Paz to warn that country against the mullahs' meddling in the Central American nation.

Venezuela

Recently, the Organization of Islamic Culture and Communications opened an office in Caracas, Venezuela. With the help of the mullahs' embassy in the country a center has been opened called "Islamic center of Imam Hadi."

Apparently the new organization is established to encourage Islamic teachings but it is in the business of expanding fundamentalist ideas which in time would nourish terrorism. It does not have an official sign; however, it is run by a Lebanese cleric named Sheik Sam Hamdani with close ties to Tehran.

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Reza Shafa is an expert on the Iranian regime’s intelligence networks, both in Iran and abroad. He has done extensive research on VAVAK (MOIS), IRGC’s Intelligence Office, and Quds Force among others. Currently he is a contributor to NCRI website.

Fuente : Foreing Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran