America’s Throwaway Spies: How the CIA failed Iranian informants in its secret war with Tehran

[Aspen]

Very intriguing investigation on the front page of Reuters. Worth a read.

How the CIA failed Iranian spies in its secret war with Tehran

Gholamreza Hosseini got caught spying for the CIA in Iran. The story of how he was burned casts light on an epic U.S. intelligence failure.

www.reuters.com

 

[mohsen]

Dumping now-useless elements is a constant habit of US, whether its their own soldires injured during Iran's raid on US base in Iraq, or citizens of other countries.

 

[Shapur Zol Aktaf]

Dumping now-useless elements is a constant habit of US, whether its their own soldires injured during Iran's raid on US base in Iraq, or citizens of other countries.

I read the whole story which seems credible. What I considered sad and bad as well from Iranian intelligence agency is the following case:

A retired Iranian official, he had recently started a travel agency when he flew to Abu Dhabi with his wife in 2011 in order to visit the U.S. embassy there. The travel agent had just won the U.S. green card lottery and believed this huge stroke of luck would allow him to expand his tourism business.

The entrepreneur was at first excited to be invited to a series of interviews over the course of several trips to Abu Dhabi. He said he met inside and outside the embassy with a U.S. consular officer who said his name was Steve. Beyond offering to help complete the immigration screening process, the American official said he could help smooth the way for the man’s Iranian customers to receive visas to the United States.

But over time, their conversations pivoted from the travel agent’s future in the United States to requests by Steve for sensitive information about Iran’s aviation and defense sectors, the Iranian said.

Recognizing the potential danger he was now in if Iranian authorities found out, he said he cut his contact with Steve, likely a pseudonym, and gave up on his dream to reside in the United States. But he was arrested in 2015 in Iran by the intelligence officials who somehow had learned of the liaison. Would he work for Tehran as a double agent, his Iranian interrogators asked, to learn more about how the CIA recruits spies?

He declined the offer and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, serving seven years before obtaining early release in 2022. “We feel as if we had been played with by both sides,” his wife told Reuters.

The man never recovered his travel business and has struggled to find work in Iran since his release in 2021. Even ridesharing apps rejected his applications to become a driver, likely because of his conviction, the former travel agent said.

Reuters could not independently confirm the Iranian’s interactions with the CIA. The man provided travel records and correspondence with the embassy to support his story. Reuters independently contacted another former prisoner who said he had met the travel agent while both were in the same jail. He said the entrepreneur at the time had given him an identical account of the CIA’s recruitment attempt.

The CIA declined to comment on the travel agent case. The five former U.S. national security officials, however, confirmed details of how the visa ploy is used to gather Iranian intelligence.

 

[mohsen]

But over time, their conversations pivoted from the travel agent’s future in the United States to requests by Steve for sensitive information about Iran’s aviation and defense sectors, the Iranian said.

This part is fabricated, he had transferred the classified information through hidden CIA web sites, so he can't claim "oh I was just chit- chatting!!!"

 

[TNT]

Ppl think its a joke and those who indulge always regret it. Once u get into such stuff, u cant get out.

 

[aviator_fan]

Its like the movies, burn your mole when in trouble. Because its Reuters, its been thoroughly researched. I can't imagine the life Gholamreza is leading AFTER prison while still in Iran. A bit gracious of his Govt not to execute him.

 

[BlessedKingOfLonging]

Very intriguing investigation on the front page of Reuters. Worth a read.

How the CIA failed Iranian spies in its secret war with Tehran

Gholamreza Hosseini got caught spying for the CIA in Iran. The story of how he was burned casts light on an epic U.S. intelligence failure.

www.reuters.com

The funniest case is that of the Basij defector.

"Oh, I disagree with the Supreme Leader so let me do a 180° about turn and go right to the enemy which wants to bomb and eviscerated my country!"

I hope he suffers in turkey.

 

[Shapur Zol Aktaf]

This part is fabricated, he had transferred the classified information through hidden CIA web sites, so he can't claim "oh I was just chit- chatting!!!"

The engineer or the travel agency guy?

The funniest case is that of the Basij defector.

"Oh, I disagree with the Supreme Leader so let me do a 180° about turn and go right to the enemy which wants to bomb and eviscerated my country!"

I hope he suffers in turkey.

yeah indeed, personal greed played a role, especially with the engineer, he must be happy that he was not executed and only got 10 years jail.
However the travel agency guy, from what I read in the article, was innocent and should not have been treated like a spy (7 years jail). The difference between sentences is also not logic at all, a willing traitor/spy got 10 years prison, an innocent person got 7 years jail because he refused to become a spy for Iranian intelligence agency.

 

[BlessedKingOfLonging]

The engineer or the travel agency guy?


yeah indeed, personal greed played a role, especially with the engineer, he must be happy that he was not executed and only got 10 years jail.
However the travel agency guy, from what I read in the article, was innocent and should not have been treated like a spy (7 years jail). The difference between sentences is also not logic at all, a willing traitor/spy got 10 years prison, an innocent person got 7 years jail because he refused to become a spy for Iranian intelligence agency.

Yeah, assuming the man who founded the travel agency was innocent, MOIS did him quite dirty.

No sympathy for the engineer, though. He went around the desert identifying weak points to be disabled by missile strikes...that was grounds for an execution.

 

[mohsen]

The engineer or the travel agency guy?

Travel agent. he is trying to show himself as naive and innocent by saying "conversations pivoted" (as if government officials don't receive training on espionage tactics). but he has been arrested because CIA secret communication channel was discovered, so certainly his actions have been deliberate. the part which says he didn't agree to become a double agent is also a desperate attempt to get something from Americans.

Compare it with the following civilian, they demand information on less suspicious civilian sector, but from the beginning something he discovers their true intention and informs Iran's intelligence services.

بدون تعارف با فردی که خود را از تله سرویس‌های جاسوسی موساد نجات داد + فیلم