The Federal Bureau of Investigation is escalating a manhunt of an Iranian intelligence officer, Majid Dastjani Farahani, for questioning in connection to the “lethal targeting” of top United States federal government officials.
The FBI’s Miami field office announced on Friday that it is seeking information about him in connection with “the recruitment of individuals for various operations in the United States.”
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Iran has been seeking to avenge the death of one of its commander’s, Major General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a drone strike during the Trump administration, Semafor reports.
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Mr. Farahani acted or purported to act on behalf of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security, the FBI added. He also reportedly “recruited individuals for surveillance activities focused on religious sites, businesses, and other facilities in the United States.” The notice adds that he has ties to and could visit Iran and Venezuela.
Mr. Farahani was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in December for the same reasons the FBI is hunting him.
“The Iranian regime continues to aggressively target and stifle opponents and dissenting voices,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.
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It added that Iran’s “efforts to silence its opponents” have extended to a global scale, as the country has “carried out acts of transnational repression, including rendition and lethal plotting against activists, journalists, and foreign government officials.”
* Original Article:
https://www.nysun.com/article/fbi-manhunt-underway-for-iranian-intelligence-officer-connected-to-lethal-targeting-of-top-american-officials
