Former Iranian regime official faces expulsion from France over alleged links to IRGC

Bashir Biazar, the former director of the Iranian regime's music and anthems office, was recently arrested in France and faces expulsion from the country.

Tehran claims he is a harmless “journalist”, but Parisian authorities consider him a regime influencer and linked to the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).

Arrest and detention

On June 3, French police arrested Biazar in the city of Dijon and arrested him. This 41-year-old Iranian citizen, who has been living in France for two years with his wife and two children on a long-term visa, was arrested following an immediate expulsion order issued by the French Ministry of the Interior on May 22. .

According to Le Monde, the French Interior Ministry presented Biazar as an undercover agent linked to the Iranian regime's intelligence services in this expulsion order.

Response from the Iranian authorities

Kazem Gharibabadi, human rights staff secretary and deputy head of the Iranian regime's judiciary, announced Monday, June 17, by publishing a photo of Biazar and his children on the social network court, Biazar will be expelled from France within 28 days.

Gharibabadi claimed on June 6 that the reason for this “innocent arrest” was “the defense of the Palestinian people” and called this action “another scandal for France in the field of human rights.”

Context and activities of Biazar

According to Iranian internal sources, Bashir Biazar is the former secretary of the London-based Islamic Students Association and the production director of the Radio Music and Hymn Office. He studied political science and cinema in Iran, India and the United Kingdom.

Biazar has repeatedly expressed his support for the Iranian regime and the Palestinian cause on social media.

On December 3, 2023, he shared a video of his participation and speech at a meeting at the United Nations and wrote: “I had the opportunity to speak at a meeting at the United Nations on sanctions against Iran, Israeli crimes and the lack of character of the United Nations.

Diplomatic efforts and allegations

On June 6, Ali Bagheri Kani, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, discussed Biazar's case with the Iranian ambassador in Paris, and Nasser Kanaani, Foreign Ministry spokesman, also announced that the release of Biazar was one of the Iranian government's priorities. this ministry.

Kanaani said the Foreign Ministry had taken diplomatic steps since learning of Biazar's arrest and was continuing to contact his family.

Despite claims by Iranian regime authorities that Biazar is “just a journalist,” the evidence contradicts this claim.

According to the LePoint report, he made it safely to the Iranian regime's embassy in Paris and was under the supervision of French authorities for security reasons.

Furthermore, according to the LePoint report, French authorities consider Bashir Biazar to be an infiltrator of the Iranian regime and linked to the Iranian regime's intelligence services, particularly the 840th unit of the IRGC Quds Force, which is responsible for planning and carrying out the operations. outside Iran.