Iranian Analyst Details Decades of Harassment by Regime Operatives in LA

An Iranian-American political analyst has detailed a long history of intimidation tactics employed by operatives of Iran’s Islamic Republic against her and other dissidents in the Los Angeles area. The analyst, who has dedicated her career to exposing the regime, recounted incidents dating back over two decades, including being followed, having her online accounts hacked, and receiving disturbing personal information designed to threaten her family.

In one instance in 2006, the analyst reported being followed on foot through Westwood Village by a man she believed to be an operative of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). After noticing him, she entered a store and waited until he left. In another event, her websites, email, and social media accounts were compromised. A separate incident involved an email containing a link to a website that featured her photographs and labeled her a Mossad agent. Hackers also accessed personal photos and sent images of her in a bikini to her husband’s email address, a tactic she identified as a deliberate attempt to demonstrate access to her private life and target her family.

These experiences have led her to collaborate with the local FBI, whose agents have reportedly conducted routine patrols around her residence due to her being recognized as a target. She continues to receive daily threats on social media platforms.

The intimidation began even earlier, during her undergraduate years at Rutgers University. She received a threatening message in her student mailbox, constructed from cut-out magazine letters, stating, "They will get you." This was followed by heavy-breathing messages on her dorm room answering machine. The individual responsible eventually approached her in person, and she identified him as someone who had volunteered for the university's Iranian club events, believing him to be an IRGC operative.

The analyst noted that such threats have been ongoing long before her career focused on reporting on Iran, underscoring the regime’s far-reaching intimidation capabilities. She recalled instances where Iranian Americans in Los Angeles felt compelled to conceal their faces while watching the World Cup, fearing repercussions in Iran even for mundane activities.

These personal experiences resonate with a recent report from Iran International detailing a new platform, Alaj, promoted by the Islamic Republic. According to the report, Alaj encourages individuals to report Iranians abroad deemed threats to national security. The platform allegedly publishes names, photographs, and sometimes national identification numbers and family information of targeted individuals. Iranian state media claim the platform has identified and monitored 1,600 people, with penalties including asset freezes and the withdrawal of consular and citizenship services.

This initiative, the analyst suggests, signals the regime's intent to assert its authority over citizens even outside Iran's borders, aiming to dissuade dissent by threatening access to familial ties and resources. The constant threat of surveillance and reporting, she explained, creates an environment of uncertainty that discourages activism and critical reporting. This tactic mirrors the use of surveillance apps within Iran, such as the Nazer app used to report violations of mandatory hijab rules.

The technological aspect of Iran's surveillance capabilities reportedly includes support from Beijing, with Reuters citing reporting from The Wall Street Journal that products from the Chinese company Tiandy have been sold to IRGC units. Phishing campaigns using fake conference invitations have also been documented by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International’s Security Lab, targeting individuals involved in Middle East issues.

In March, the U.S. Department of Justice seized four websites it linked to Iran's intelligence ministry, alleging they facilitated hacking and intimidation, including death threats against dissidents and journalists. The analyst argues that these actions constitute a "soft war" against those who expose the regime's abuses, extending pressure into Western countries and challenging their ability to protect free speech.

She emphasized that Iranian Americans in Los Angeles should have the same security in criticizing Tehran as they do in criticizing Washington, and that no one should fear repercussions for attending community events or for their children pursuing academic activities. The analyst called for U.S. authorities to investigate individuals involved in intimidation campaigns and for technology companies to preserve evidence when their services are used to target dissidents, asserting that the laws of the United States should govern the behavior within its borders.