"Heshmatollah ‘Attarzadeh, the Iranian diplomat who had been kidnapped in Peshawar, Pakistan in 2008, was rescued and returned to Iran by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). In a news conference today, Iranian Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi noted that in October 2008, ‘Attarzadeh was kidnapped in Peshawar by an armed group supported by the United States and MOSSAD..."
Persia House Analysis:In light of the Ministry of Intelligence’s (MOIS) rescue of ‘Attarzadeh, coupled with its February 23 capture of Jundullah head Abdolmalek Rigi, the organization appears to be making a very public comeback in Iran after President Ahmadinejad and his allies sidelined the organization in favor of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence services. The reemergence of the MOIS on the public stage could indicate that the Ahmadinejad administration is satisfied that the ministry has been fully brought to heel.
Last year, Ahmadinejad harshly criticized the MOIS for failing to foresee the post-election crisis. This was followed by a purge of the senior ranks within the ministry—amid questions of their personal loyalty to the president—as well as the installation of the IRGC-affiliated Heydar Moslehi as the Minister of Intelligence. Since that time, virtually all intelligence-related operational successes have been credited to the IRGC with hardly a mention of the MOIS. The article could also demonstrate the administration’s realization that the Intelligence Ministry can, in some cases, work more effectively outside Iran than the IRGC. The MOIS almost certainly cooperated with Pakistani intelligence services in executing this operation, which would indicate a new level of cooperation between the two countries.
Source Information:Khabar Online is a conservative news site close to Speaker of Parliament and Principlist politician Ali Larijani.
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