Iran recruits Hells Angels for assassinations of dissidents in the US and Europe

The Islamic Republic of Iran has been actively recruiting criminal groups, including the Hells Angels, to target Iranian dissidents living in democratic countries such as the US, Germany, and the UK. A report by The Washington Post highlights that these efforts have included various violent plots against individuals who have fled Iran, with at least 88 incidents linked to the regime over the past five years. Among the targeted individuals are former military officers and journalists who have spoken out against the Iranian government. In one notable case, an Iranian defector and his wife were reportedly targeted for assassination under a contract negotiated by an Iranian drug trafficker with Hells Angels members in Canada. This defector, who had previously served in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and later became a CIA informant, was living under a false identity in Maryland. The plot was orchestrated by Damion Ryan, a criminal with a significant record in Canada. The Iranian regime's tactics have raised alarms among Western intelligence agencies, with MI5 and the Metropolitan Police tracking numerous plots originating from Tehran. The regime's actions are seen as a response to perceived threats and retaliation for the US killing of Qasem Soleimani, a high-ranking Iranian military leader. This has led to a broader trend where authoritarian regimes are increasingly employing criminal elements in the West to carry out their agendas. As the geopolitical landscape evolves, the implications of these actions extend beyond individual cases, highlighting a concerning intersection of organized crime and state-sponsored violence. The use of criminal groups to silence dissent poses significant challenges for law enforcement and raises questions about the safety of exiled dissidents in democratic nations.