Arrest of Two Iranian Nationals in Belgium on Suspicion of Planning Attack on National Council of Resistance Conference

The Belgian prosecutor's office announced on Monday that two Iranian nationals have been arrested on suspicion of planning an attack on the National Council of Resistance conference in Paris. This conference took place on Saturday, July 9, in the suburbs of Paris. According to a Reuters report, both suspects were arrested by Belgian police on Saturday, and 500 grams of homemade explosives were discovered in their possession. Additionally, an explosive device was found in their vehicle. The French news agency also reported the suspects' names as 'Amir S.' and 'Nasimeh N.', both of whom hold Belgian citizenship. According to the Associated Press, this couple is of Iranian descent and is approximately 30 years old. The annual National Council of Resistance meeting was held on Saturday in the Paris suburbs, where several politicians and former officials from the U.S., Europe, and some regional countries spoke. Among the speakers was Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York and a close associate of the U.S. President, who stated in his speech that the United States would continue its pressure on the Iranian regime until its collapse, and that it is now realistically possible to witness the end of the Iranian regime. The main focus of the Paris conference was the widespread protests in Iran, which participants deemed a 'sign of the imminent fall of the Islamic Republic.' Other topics discussed included the current political and economic situation in Iran, the consequences of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, and Europe's role in relation to Iran. The Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization considers itself an option for replacing the Islamic Republic government. Regarding this conference, Shahin Qabadi, spokesperson for the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, told Radio Farda that the speakers at the Paris meeting emphasized 'decisive action against the Islamic Republic.' Furthermore, according to the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization's website, Maryam Rajavi, the leader of the National Council of Resistance, in her speech at the Paris conference, referred to the protests in Iran and stated: 'The velayat-e faqih has lost its legitimacy, Ali Khamenei's position has 'deteriorated,' the entire regime is in a financial crisis,' 'the Revolutionary Guards and anti-people Basij have suffered losses,' and 'the display of reformism to preserve the regime no longer has an audience.' The National Council of Resistance is an entity composed of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization and affiliated groups, with Maryam Rajavi and several members of its leadership based in France. This organization holds conferences annually in early July with the participation of its supporters and some political figures from Western and Arab countries. The Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, which was on the U.S. and EU terrorist lists for years, was removed from the EU's terrorist list about 10 years ago and from the U.S. terrorist list about six years ago. The Islamic Republic considers this organization a terrorist group and has repeatedly requested France and other European countries to extradite its leaders to Tehran.