New York Times: Former Revolutionary Guard Protection Commander Arrested on Suspicion of Spying for Israel

The American newspaper New York Times reported on Wednesday that one of the high-ranking commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps named Ali Nasiri was arrested this month on suspicion of spying for Israel.

The New York Times, citing sources close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who requested anonymity, reported the arrest of Brigadier General Ali Nasiri, the former commander of the Guard’s protection unit, and wrote that this arrest demonstrates an increasing level of distrust among the country’s leadership following multiple recent operations attributed to Israel in Iran.

The American newspaper further added that Brigadier General Ali Nasiri was a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s information protection unit and held a key position.

The New York Times states that the news of Brigadier General Ali Nasiri’s arrest came two months after the arrest of dozens of officials related to Iran’s missile program on suspicion of leaking confidential information to Israel.

According to the report, Brigadier General Ali Nasiri was arrested in early June (four weeks prior) and shortly before the dismissal of Hossein Taeb, the head of the Guard’s intelligence organization.

News of Hossein Taeb’s removal from the Guard’s intelligence organization was published in the early days of Tir month while the last week of Khordad was consumed entirely with reports and statements by Israeli officials about concerns regarding “Iran’s planning” to steal or kill Israeli tourists in Turkey, in retaliation for the death of Hasan Sayyad Khodayari.

Two days after Mr. Taeb’s dismissal, the Revolutionary Guard’s public relations office announced on the fourth of Tir that Hasan Mashroiyeh-Far has replaced Ibrahim Jabari as commander of the “Guardian of the Supreme Leader Protection Force.”

The “Guardian of the Supreme Leader Protection Force” is a special unit responsible for physical protection of Ali Khamenei, the leadership headquarters, the leadership institution, and its subordinate buildings, with a total estimated staff of over 12,000 personnel.

The Guard’s Information Protection Organization, which has been headed by Majid Khademipour, is one of the intelligence institutions of the Revolutionary Guard with responsibilities including “countering espionage within the Guard, preventing infiltration of movements contrary to Guard policy, preventing leakage of confidential information outside the Guard, and political-security oversight of commanders and personnel of this armed force.”

In recent years, reports have been published regarding Brigadier General Ali Nasiri’s alleged escape from Iran.

However, in response to these reports, Brigadier General Ali Nasiri denied the published reports about his escape from Iran in an interview with Tasnim in Ordibehesht 1398, stating that he attended the farewell and introduction ceremony of the Commander-in-Chief of the Guard at the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with images and video of it also published in the media.

Regarding the reasons for the spread of rumors about his escape from Iran that were mentioned in foreign media, Brigadier General Ali Nasiri stated: “It appears that this fabrication occurred because my previous position carried security sensitivities.”

Brigadier General Ali Nasiri added that in Ordibehesht 1398 he was “retired from the Guard’s protection command” and his retirement ceremony was held.

Source: Radio Farda