One of the Defendants in the 'Attack Design' Case Against the Mojahedin-e Khalq Conference to be Extradited to Belgium

According to AFP, a court in Belgium has agreed to extradite 'Mehrdad A.', one of the defendants in the 'attack design' case against the National Council of Resistance conference in the suburbs of Paris. AFP reports that a total of six people have been arrested in connection with this case in France, Belgium, and Germany, with two of them released after some time. Belgian police believe that 'Mehrdad A.' is an accomplice of a couple who were arrested in Brussels with 500 grams of a very powerful explosive substance, acetone peroxide, and a detonator. 'Mehrdad A.' is 54 years old and was arrested in a hotel in Paris. The arrested couple, identified as 'Amir S.' and 'Nasimeh N.', are 38 and 33 years old, respectively. All three are of Iranian descent and hold Belgian nationality. The news of 'Mehrdad A.'s extradition comes as the German Attorney General also made public the arrest warrant for 'Asadollah A.', an Iranian diplomat in that country. This diplomat of the Islamic Republic is accused of instructing the couple 'Amir S.' and 'Nasimeh N.' to carry out an 'attack' on the annual Mojahedin-e Khalq conference. In the arrest warrant from the German prosecutor's office, 'Asadollah A.' is identified as the third consul at the Iranian embassy in Austria and a 'member of the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Intelligence'. The Mojahedin-e Khalq organization claims this individual is named 'Asadollah Asadi' and has been the 'head of the information station' at the Iranian embassy in Vienna since 2014. Belgium has also requested the extradition of the detained Iranian diplomat. Previously, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry described the 'attack' case against the opposition gathering as a 'scenario' to undermine Iran-Europe relations, but the Mojahedin-e Khalq organization stated that they had 'repeatedly warned' about the terrorist preparations of Iranian diplomats, Ministry of Intelligence forces, and the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard 'in various European countries'. Two Iranian news agencies, ISNA and Tasnim, also reported on July 4 that the identities of the arrested couple in Belgium were 'Amir Saadouni' and 'Nasimeh Naeimi', publishing 'images' showing Amir Saadouni alongside senior officials of the Mojahedin-e Khalq organization and their meetings. However, the Mojahedin-e Khalq website claimed that Mr. Saadouni and Ms. Naeimi, who were arrested in Antwerp, Belgium, 'had posed as supporters of the Mojahedin'. After the February 1979 revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been accused of 'assassinating' several officials of the previous regime and its opponents abroad. Many opponents of the current Iranian government have also been executed or killed inside the country. In recent years, U.S. administrations have placed the Iranian government at the top of the list of 'state sponsors of terrorism'. Tehran has consistently denied allegations of supporting terrorism. The news of the Iranian diplomat's arrest was announced on the eve of the Iranian President's trip to Switzerland and Austria. The 'National Council of Resistance' conference was held in the suburbs of Paris. Maryam Rajavi, the leader of the National Council of Resistance, and several members of the leadership of this group are based in France. Yesterday, Reuters reported, citing a European intelligence official, that 'this matter is extremely sensitive, and the Belgians are advancing the case'. According to Reuters, French officials have refrained from commenting on this case, stating that the nature of this event is unclear. The U.S. State Department said it is closely monitoring reports and the progress of investigations in this matter.