Heshmat Alavi Profile picture
Aug 21, 2018 42 tweets 16 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
(1)
Let’s talk about a very controversial development regarding #Iran.

Less than a week after the “Iran Action Group” formation, U.S. authorities are taking action targeting #IranianRegimeSpies inside mainland America.
justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/two…
(2)
“An indictment was returned today charging Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, 38, a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen, and Majid Ghorbani, 59, an Iranian citizen and resident of California, with allegedly acting on behalf of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran…”
(3)
“… by conducting covert surveillance of Israeli and Jewish facilities in the United States, and collecting identifying information about American citizens and U.S. nationals who are members of the group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK).”
(4)
Considering the importance of this subject, a wide variety of media outlets are covering this developing story.
#IranianRegimeSpies
(5)
“Doostdar traveled to the US from Iran in order to collect intelligence information about entities & individuals considered by the government of Iran to be enemies of that regime, including Israeli & Jewish interests, & individuals associated w/ MEK”
freebeacon.com/national-secur…
(6)
“In one instance, the two met in Decmber 2017, and Doostdar paid Ghorbani about $2,000 for photographs -- some with captions describing the people featured in the images -- he had taken at the MEK event that September, the news release said.”
edition.cnn.com/2018/08/20/pol…
(7)
“Ghorbani also allegedly photographed attendees at a MEK-affiliated event in Washington, D.C., in May. Doostdar called Ghorbani 10 days later to discuss how to get the information gathered at the event back to Iran, according to the indictment.”
thehill.com/policy/interna…
(8)
This is also very interesting.
Ghorbani “can be seen lifting up his smartphone and pointing its lens at the speech, speaker, and/or attendees” during an MEK event.
documentcloud.org/documents/4777…
(9)
That same report, prepared by FBI Special Agent Mikel Weir, explains how Doostdar & Ghorbani received their orders from Iran & Doostdar has been briefed in Iran three times.
(10)
The report explains unusual activities by Doostdar:
(11)
Special Agent Wier explains how Doostdar had received special training:
(12)
More of such special training:
(13)
About Ghorbani:
(14)
Doostdar arriving in the U.S.:
(15)
More signs of special training for the two individuals:
(16)
The two men discussing the Iranian opposition MEK:
(17)
The two discussing both loopholes in security systems & how desperate Iran's regime is for any information about the MEK, even if incomplete:
(18)
"Ghorbani also informed Doostdar that he would be travelling to Iran on March 31, 2018, to conduct an in-person briefing."
(19)
The agents seeking sensitive information about the Iranian opposition MEK:
(20)
Further focus on the Iranian opposition MEK:
(21)
Upon returning to the U.S. from Iran, Ghorbani focuses again on the Iranian opposition MEK:
(22)
The report goes on to add Ghorbani's intention to attend further MEK events in Washington & Paris.
(23)
More use of huge amounts of money in cash ($16,000) and focusing again on the MEK:
(24)
Conclusion about Ghorbani & Doostdar receiving training from an "Iranian intelligence service."
(25)
And FBI Special Agent Mikel Wier's important conclusion:
(26) Looking into the name of Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, I realized his brother is Alireza Doostdar, Assistant Professor, Divinity School, University of Chicago, who is a signatory to this letter to @federicamogherini to save the #IranDeal.
opendemocracy.net/can-europe-mak…
(27)
Alireza Doostdar is the brother of Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar.
(28)
A @NIACouncil fundraiser held in New York back in April 2014, for which @tparsi especially thanked Fathali Ghahremani, (Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar’s uncle), one of the event organizers.
(29)
#Iran apologist/lobbyist @tparsi is also a signatory to this letter.
(30)
Rouzbeh Parsi (@rparsi), Trita’s brother, is also a signatory.
(31)
@NIACouncil had launched a “watch program” for the Iranian-American community long ago.
(32)
This link used to open a short while ago.
Mysteriously, it now leads to this:
(33)
“Doostdar and Ghorbani were charged with acting as agents of Iran, violating U.S. sanctions and conspiracy. The charges carry maximum statutory penalties of 10 years, 20 years and five years in prison, respectively.”
washingtonpost.com/local/public-s…
(34)
Back in May, I had reported about unconfirmed reports regarding the FBI raiding @NIACouncil offices. I emphasized then and now that those reports were unconfirmed.
(36)
And let’s not forget how @tparsi & @NIACouncil enjoyed unprecedented access to the White House during the Obama years.
freebeacon.com/national-secur…
(37)
My instincts are telling me the FBI raid was real & @tparsi has been busy erasing his tracks ever since.
Yet, I emphasize again, this remains unconfirmed & I haven’t seen the FBI issue any public statement about such a raid.
(38)
Conclusion: Yours to make.
I know for sure that #Iran’s regime is in deep waters & the arrest of these two individuals is only the beginning.
#IranianRegimeSpies

Thank You for reading.
I always welcome constructive feedback.
Best!
(39)
ADDENDUM:
The court judge of this case has turned down Ghorbani's plea for release on bail & asked for 75 years behind bars for the defendant.
ir.voanews.com/a/us-iran-spy-…
(40)
ADDENDUM:
Images Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar, the Iranian-American detained in the U.S. on charges of espionage.
He is the son Hossein Mohammadi-Doostdar, former head of Iran's "College Publications Center."
(41)
This issue definitely needs Washington's focus.
(42)
ADDENDUM:
Susan Ghahremani Ghajar, said to be a language professor of Al-Zahra University, is the mother of Ahmadreza Mohammadi-Doostdar.
She's seen here attending a 2016 session chaired by @khamenei_ir.
No outside of the regime's ring is allowed into such events.

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More from @HeshmatAlavi

Oct 9, 2018
#BREAKING
U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted the resignation of Nikki Haley as UN Ambassador.

My gut tells me an even bigger story will develop.

Rest assured #Iran's regime is terrified about who Trump/Pompeo will appoint as their new envoy.
axios.com/donald-trump-n…
#BREAKING
Amb. Nikki Haley spoke six months ago with President Donald Trump about the subject of resigning.
Will be staying at this post until the end of the year.
#BREAKING
Amb. Nikki Haley saying she will be campaigning for President Trump in 2020.
Read 11 tweets
Oct 9, 2018
THREAD

1)
Add this to the long list linking #Iran's regime with international terrorism.

This time, the al Qaeda-affiliated al Shabaab militant group of Somalia.

More reason why a firm policy is needed against Tehran.
#WalkAway
uk.reuters.com/article/somali…
2)
"Criminal networks are using Iran as a transit point for illicit Somali charcoal exports that earn Islamist militants al Shabaab millions of dollars annually in tax, U.N. sanctions monitors said in a report seen by Reuters."
3)
"... domestic revenue generation by al Qaeda-affiliated al Shabaab 'is more geographically diversified and systematic' than that of Somalia’s federal government."
Read 11 tweets
Oct 9, 2018
#BREAKING
October 9
Shiraz, south-central #Iran
Stores are closed as the merchants' strike continues on this second day.
#IranStrikes

Store-owners in 50 cities launched this protest movement on Monday in solidarity with the truckers' nationwide strike.
#IranianTruckersOnStrike
October 9
Karaj, #Iran
(West of Tehran)
Fardis sector
Stores are closed as merchants continue their strike for a second day.
#IranStrikes
October 9
Qazvin, NW #Iran
Store-owners in this city are on strike again for this second consecutive day.
#IranStrikes
Read 5 tweets
Oct 8, 2018
#BreakingNews
Cities across #Iran are witnessing a general strike as stores are closing across the country.
This goes alongside the truckers' nationwide strike that has spread to over 310 cities now.
#IranProtests
#IranianTruckersOnStrike
October 8
Tehran, #Iran
Sources say all gold market stores are closed.
#IranProtests
October 8
#Iran
Images of stores closed in the cities of Saqqez, Baneh, Marivan & Sanandaj.
#IranProtests
Read 35 tweets
Oct 7, 2018
#BreakingNews
Reports indicate atmosphere in #Iran's parliament (the Majlis) is very tense as members review the anti-money laundering Financial Action Task Force (FATF) signing bill.
Sources say "hardliners" are voicing threats about the signing of this bill.

(File Photo)
2)
#BreakingNews
"Regarding the FATF, should we commit suicide today by signing this bill because we're going to die in the future?" says Behrouz Nemati, a member of #Iran's Majlis (parliament).

Read more about Iran & the FATF here:
fatf-gafi.org/countries/#Iran
3)
"Hardliners in Iran’s parliament have opposed passing legislation toward compliance with FATF standards, arguing it could hamper Iranian financial support for allies such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which the US has classified as a terrorist organization."
reuters.com/article/us-ira…
Read 13 tweets
Oct 6, 2018
Short Thread:

1)
#Iran's #FakeNews machine at work:

"It did not say where Zahedifar was arrested. In a video carried by state broadcaster IRIB, a blindfolded man who identified himself as Zahedifar denied he had fled Iran."
uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ira…
2)
Here's the video.

#Iran
#FakeNews
3)
What a coincidence (!), all of this developing just "a week after Tehran sentenced three people to death in a drive against economic crimes."

#Iran
#FakeNews
Read 6 tweets

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