Rouhani’s Regime Empowers Officials Wanted for Terrorism, Interpol
Emmanuel Autolingy and Amir Tomaj Asharq Al Awsat Thursday, 11 Feb, 2016
http://english.aawsat.com/2016/02/article55347486/rouhanis-regime-empowers-officials-wanted-terrorism-interpol

Washington- After the sanctions’ removal, officials in the West anticipate
Iran to play a part in solving regional dilemmas in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
However, these hopes are not well placed. Despite the diplomatic settlement
on the nuclear deal, Iran maintains a regional policy similar to its
pre-deal behavior. Iran still provides extremist militants with weapons,
sponsors terrorism, and shakes the stability of neighboring countries for
reasons of satisfying an appetite for regional dominance.

Many senior Iranian officials are still subject to American and European
sanctions for roles they played in supporting terrorism, violating human
rights, and backing Assad’s blood-drenched rule in Syria. Instead of them
stepping aside, Iran has granted those responsible for gruesome crimes,
power and authority.

Iranian attitude doesn’t come as a shock. As a country, Iran had ranked top
for sponsoring terrorism, its authority has participated with terrorist
operations since 1979, had a hand in the kidnaps perpetrated by the Lebanese
Hezbollah in 1980, and even conspired in the plot for assassinating the
Saudi ambassador in Washington in 2011.

Since 2003, Shi’ite militias in Iraq have received artillery support from
Iran. Moreover, Iran, a major supporter for Assad’s regime in Syria, is held
responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of Syrians and the uprooting
of millions. Their administration doesn’t even hesitate when sending
murderers abroad to assassinate Opposition members.

On top of that, senior officials were condemned for having participated at
the AMIA (Argentine Israelite Mutual Association) bombing. The association
was affiliated with the Jewish community placed in Argentina, and the attack
resulted in the death of 85 civilians and the injury of 105 others.

The International Criminal Police Organization, Interpol published red
bulletins against senior Iranian officials whom were awarded at their
country after the attack.

Among those officials was the former commander of the Quds Force Ahmad
Vahidi, who was also assigned to the ministry of defense in year 2009.

After Rouhani, seemingly a presidential moderate, rose to power in 2013,
Vahidi was awarded for his service by being appointed director for the
strategic study center of the armed forces.

Mohammad Mohsen Rabbani, present at the Association’s bombing and accused
for facilitating the terrorist attack, now is the Supreme Leader’s
representative for Latin American affairs. Rabbani’s position is powerful
enough to control independent resources for funding his violent campaign
targeting Latin America.

Ali Akbar Velayati, Iranian foreign minister during the period of the
attack, is wanted by the Argentinian authorities, for participating in the
attack. However, Velayati now is the personal advisor on diplomatic affairs
for the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He actively supervises promoting the
Iranian way of governing with him being labeled General Secretary for the
two religious committees sponsored by Iran: The World Assembly of Islamic
Awakening and Ahl Al-Bayt World Assembly.

One other Interpol hunted is Ali Fallahian, wanted also for the AMIA attack
during which he was Intelligence Minister. Fallahian is also alleged
responsible for the kidnap and assassination of anti- Iranian Kurdish
protestors. The incident, known as the Mykonos restaurant assassinations,
took place in 1992 at a restaurant in Berlin.

Fallahian still is a member of the Assembly of Experts, which is responsible
for electing the Supreme Leader. Moreover, he formerly announced running for
presidency in 2013.

In the ballpark of Iranian systematic functioning, Major general Qasem
Soleimani, Commander of the Iranian Army of the Guardians of the Islamic
Revolution (IRGC), still holds his position.

Soleimani, in short, commands the battalion on foreign intervention missions
for the IRGC. Actually, his efforts in supporting pro-Iranian militia across
the Middle East earned him fame and a highly- held position.

The Quds Force Commander leads all Shi’ite Iranian proxies in Syria and
Iraq, that being a cornerstone to the execution of Iran’s strategy on
keeping Syrian President Assad in his authoritative placement at any cost.

It is worth mentioning that Soleimani presents his reports directly to the
Iranian Supreme Leader, and he is rendered the mean accountable for carrying
Tehran’s foreign policy.