Freshly returned from their Belgian state-funded trip to Brussels, the Iranian delegation has begun to deliver reports on their trip back in Tehran. The Iranian politicians have been quick to spin the visit into a propaganda victory.
Footage posted online by Iranian economic news site Eco Iran shows the spokesperson for the ultra-conservative mayor of Tehran Alireza Zakani, whose visit to Brussels was facilitated by both former Brussels State Secretary Pascal Smet and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib, briefing officials about his visit.
The Brussels Times has translated segments of the address given by the spokesperson. His speech raises serious security concerns about the activities of the 14 Iranian officials allowed to enter Belgium.
Intimidation
As highlighted by Federal MP Darya Safai, who is also an active member of the Iranian opposition in Belgium, concerns had been raised over the possibility of Iranian government representatives filming opposition activists who are active in the country.
New evidence, published by Belgian broadcaster RTBF, shows that the two of the people officially invited to the country by the Federal Government were indeed filming Iranians expatriates who had gathered near the Mont Des Arts in Brussels to protest the presence of the Tehran mayor in Brussels.
Credit: Screengrab/RTBF
Testimony and footage gathered by the broadcaster showed that the activists were filmed by the Iranian guests. Two individuals, hidden some 100 metres away from the protestors, secretly took photos of their faces. One man, who gave orders to the cameraman, was the Tehran mayor’s spokesperson, Abdolmotahar Mohammadkhani.
This secret filming is even acknowledged by Mohammadkhani in his speech to Iranian dignitaries back home.
“When we were there, we saw a group of anti-revolutionaries demonstrating on the first day… The Iranian delegation decided that, to counter the allegations of anti-revolutionary media… it should send a press crew to film the demonstration of a handful of people,” the spokesperson can be heard saying.
Korte reportage van @RTBF over de #IranGate naar aanleiding van de visa die door België uitgereikt werden aan de burgemeester van Teheran en z’n delegatie.
Anonieme getuigenis over wat er gebeurt met de filmpjes die het regime gemaakt heeft van de manifestanten in de straten… pic.twitter.com/6logMOK8sy — Darya Safai MP (@SafaiDarya) June 21, 2023
Mohammadkhani was the former editor-in-chief of Fars news, a pro-government press organisation. In Tehran, he is infamous for passing several laws banning the depiction of women without their hijab – including the images of women on graves from before the Islamic Revolution. He brands Iranian protesters as “liars.”
Activists say that Iranian officials take photos of activists' faces in order to be able to reveal their identity and, importantly, identify their family members still living in Iran. Iran’s authoritarian government then makes threats against their relatives, in order to silence criticism of their regime. Realising that she was being filmed from afar, MP Safai filed a complaint with police.
Intelligence gathering
Iranian opposition members, as well as several members of the Brussels Parliament, had warned that the visit of the mayor to Brussels had likely been detrimental to national security. Authorities were seemingly unaware of what the delegation may have been doing outside of the conference. Lahbib assures that the delegation was monitored.
According to Iranian media, the delegation “sent two people to Brussels to form interactions and check the situation” before the start of the event. In other words, two Iranians invited to the event were allowed to freely roam around Brussels to analyse the security situation in the city and gather intelligence.
Ultra-conservative Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani (circled) was invited to the Brussels City Hall. Credit: Phillipe Close/Twitter
Other members of the delegation have also been identified by RTBF, such as Lotfollah Forouzande D’eh Kordi, deputy for finance and urban affairs of Tehran. He is allegedly known for his anti-Semitic and ultra-conservative views.
Back in Tehran, the trip is already being hailed as a victory. “Our version is that they try to mask their defeat by misusing our glorious invitation,” Kani told the officials back home. “More than that, we have successfully completed our mission there with pride and a lot of peace.” Mohammadkhani also compliments the delegation’s “warm welcome” in Brussels.
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The Iranian official makes direct reference to MP Darya Safai, who was herself detained by Iranian authorities when she was 24 years old. Naturalised in 2003, the Iranian-born Belgian became an N-VA politician in 2019.
“Since Wednesday night or Thursday, we have seen a new wave of attacks by these very small anti-revolutionary groups, led by a woman of Iranian origin and a member of the Belgian parliament, who has been working against our interests for the past year,” the spokesperson said.
After Zakani and his delegation returned to Iran, Mohammadkhani, the spokesman for the city of Tehran, reported on the events in Brussels. فارسی در ادامه He called us "anti-revolutionary" group several times and he also labelled me with that designation, a word that has a… pic.twitter.com/md0F4fLQE5
— Darya Safai MP (@SafaiDarya) June 21, 2023
“She exerted a lot of pressure which… led to the resignation of the person in charge of Brussels city.”
Safai, as well as the Iranian opposition in Brussels, are furious. Their anger is directed at Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib, and also Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, who are accused of facilitating the visit of the delegation to Brussels.
Lahbib faced intense scrutiny in the commission of the Federal Parliament on Wednesday afternoon for approving the invites, amid growing calls for her resignation.
