(1945) Danny Citrinowicz and Jason M. Brodsky - Iran has created an infrastructure of mosques, cultural centers, charitable networks, and educational institutions to spread its revolutionary ethos to Africa. Increased Iranian operations in Africa started after the death of former IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani. In January 2020, the head of U.S. Africa Command told Congress that intelligence reports indicated Iran was planning attacks on Americans in Africa to avenge Soleimani's demise. In September 2020, news reports said Iran was plotting to assassinate U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks. In April 2021, U.S. Africa Command warned that "Iran is increasingly active on the continent." The Economist reported in November 2020 that police in Niger arrested an operative who admitted working for the IRGC's Quds Force. He built networks in the Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Gambia, Sudan, and South Sudan. Maj. (res.) Danny Citrinowicz, who served for 25 years in Israeli defense intelligence, is a senior research fellow at the Abba Eban Institute for International Diplomacy. Jason M. Brodsky is policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran.
2021-11-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive