The International Institute for Iranian Studies (Rasanah) has issued the English edition of the book entitled Iran’s Security and Intelligence Circles authored originally in Arabic by Iranian affairs researcher Dr. Saad Mohammed bin Nami. The 137-page book examines both the historical and modern security systems in Iran. The first chapter is entitled “Iranian Security Circles” and analyzes the country’s revolutionary institutions and security agencies with their different classifications. Iran’s revolutionary institutions include the Council of the Islamic Revolution — the first revolutionary institution established prior to Khomeini’s return from exile in France to Iran as the Shiite cleric had chosen its members on December 24, 1978.
The chapter discusses Iran’s various security agencies which perform overlapping roles and have ambiguous structures. The supreme leader has influence over all these entities, including the supervisory and regulatory councils, the security forces of the Islamic Revolution Committees, the IRGC, the Basij and the Law Enforcement Force. These entities carry out high-precision intelligence missions, in addition to the Iranian “Cyber army”.
The second chapter is entitled “Iranian Intelligence Circles” and highlights the country’s intelligence agencies prior to the 1979 revolution, including the Organization of National Security and Intelligence (SAVAK). The agency was established by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1957 to protect the ruling system against internal opposition and prevent the leftists from infiltrating the armed forces or other government organizations. SAVAK, however, failed to address the internal threats after the rise of the Iranian revolution in 1979. This was because the ruling system had significant flaws that undermined its capability to deal with the threats emanating from Iran’s grassroots and the country’s ethnic and ideological components.
The chapter also touches on the intelligence agencies post-1979 revolution, including the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (VEVAK) — the first intelligence agency. VEVAK, initially known as SAVAMA, was established in August 1983 and undertakes four main tasks — providing analysis and strategies to protect state institutions (domestic security), keeping track of Iranian opposition actors abroad (regional security), and performing counterintelligence and foreign intelligence operations in coordination with the country’s analytical departments and regional divisions.
In addition, the chapter reviews Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, foreign policy, media outlets, the internet, the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC and the electronic spying program (IBEX). The chapter also sheds light on different topics related to Iran’s intelligence and security circles, including the disagreement between the IRGC and the Ministry of Intelligence, the counter-espionage agency Oghab 2 and the Iranian Cyber Army and its attacks.
In the third chapter, the author discusses “Iranian Intelligence Activities,” reviewing in detail the assassinations carried out inside Iran and the country’s intelligence activities abroad as well as arms smuggling and attempts to undermine the security of other countries at the regional and international levels. Dr. Bin Nami supports his research with several examples proving the involvement of the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC in these activities.
The newly-released publication contains an in-depth exploration of the Iranian Law Enforcement Force, thoroughly analyzing the structure and tasks of the entity.
The book is available at the Neel wa Furat Bookstore.
