Iranian Dissident Escapes Assassination Attempt in Netherlands

An Iranian dissident escaped an assassination attempt in the Netherlands earlier this month, according to the French daily Le Monde, in what seems to be yet another sign of Iran’s resolve to silence voices of dissent outside the country.

The targeted dissident, Siamak Tadayon Tahmasebi, was singled out in an Iranian intelligence press release last summer, accused of leading a “terrorist” ring inside Iran from exile. The statement, dated 30 August 2023, linked Tahmasebi to the Israeli secret service.

On 6 June, Tahmasebi noticed two men attempting to enter his home near Amsterdam. He alerted the police, who arrived in time to arrest the armed intruders. The northern Netherlands prosecutor's office confirmed the arrests and the possession of firearms by the intruders.

One of the two suspects, Mehrez Ayari, is a 38-year-old Tunisian criminal from Villejuif, Val-de-Marne, France. He has been previously linked to the failed assassination of Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a supporter of Iranian opposition, in November 2023.

“When I learned about Ayari's profile,” Tahmasebi told Le Monde, “I was half happy because the police had caught a big fish, and half worried because it meant that the Islamic Republic really wanted to kill me: they had sent a professional.”

Ayari had been sought by French police since August 2022, accused of murdering a cannabis dealer. His involvement in both the attempted assassination of Vidal-Quadras and the attempt on Tahmasbi strengthens the hypothesis of Tehran's involvement.

The Islamic Republic has a long history of targeting dissidents in exile. Dozens of assassinations have been attempted ever since the 1979 Revolution, often involving non-Iranians that help those who order the attacks deny complicity.

Last month, Israeli and Swedish intelligence agencies revealed that criminal gangs operating on Iran’s behest were behind several terror attacks on Israeli embassies in Europe.

In the past few years, Iranian journalists working outside Iran have become a prime target for Tehran's campaign of terror and intimidation.

Iran International presenter Pouria Zeraati was stabbed outside his home in south London in March, but survived with injuries to his leg. Investigations into the crime suggested that the three suspected assailants were recruited in Easter Europe and flown to the UK to attack Zeraati.

Earlier this month, another Iran International reporter, Mehran Abbasian, had to be moved to a secure location following threats to his life.

The threats against Iran International staff have become a recurrent issue, stemming back to 2022. The threats reached a climax with the UK's MI5 saying it could no longer protect the team, forcing a temporary relocation to the US.