Iran’s intelligence service “occupies” key Iraq city

Iran Focus: a pro-MEK website.

Iran’s notorious Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) has infiltrated key levers of power in the holy Iraqi city of Karbala, southern Iraq, according to an independent Iraqi daily.

“The city of Karbala is presently under complete occupation of the Iranian regime and has been taken over”, the daily Iraq al-Ghad (Tomorrow’s Iraq) wrote.

“Thousands of intelligence agents of the Iranian regime have been given Iraqi citizenship”, the daily wrote.

“The sale of books on literature, arts, and philosophy is banned in Karbala’s bookstores. Only religious books that the culture centre distributes at a cheap price or at times free of charge are permitted”.

The paper added that 421 Iranian agents that had been arrested in Karbala at the time when Ayad Allawi was Iraq’s interim Prime Minister. It said the city’s police chief had been fired after complaining about the massive Iranian influence over the city.

One of the tactics used by MOIS agents to gain the support of the Iraqi people for neighbouring Iran, the paper said, was to deliberately cut off the electricity supply in the city on a routine basis and distribute portable electricity generators and food as gifts from Tehran’s rulers.

“All senior administrative and security posts in this city are under the control of Iranian regime’s Intelligence Ministry”, the Iraqi paper added.