An examination of the emerging terrorist phenomena — operating in hard and semi-hard forms under the guidance of hostile intelligence services during the recent unrest — reveals that they share eight common characteristics.
One of the most important variables in the recent unrest was the activation of “widespread and novel terrorism,” which former CIA Director Mike Pompeo described as “Mossad agents in the streets of Tehran.”
Western NATO assessments suggest that the growth of terrorist phenomena can influence perceptual factors by pumping violence and cause social fragmentation. The most significant precedent was the events in Syria between 2012 and 2015, where the spread of terrorism led to devastating societal divisions. A similar pattern was used in the recent unrest, with the added element that terrorist actors were also defined as military attacks.
It should be noted that terrorism, as illegitimate violence, does not occur suddenly or by chance. Rather, various individual, social, and cultural variables interact in a planned process until terrorism takes on a comprehensive form.
In the Iranian case, emphasis has been placed on economic grievances as the triggering factor, with hostile services providing the necessary groundwork. However, the scale and nature of the recent violence, along with field examination of active elements, indicate that the livelihood issue was merely the emotional outer layer of American terrorism. The real intensifier was newly formed terrorist cells nurtured by Western NATO that had developed a significant virtual presence in recent years.
For example, the active role of followers of the terrorist Sultan Ali Shahi Gonabadi Dervish sect — both in the streets and online — during the recent unrest was no coincidence. This terrorist network first emerged in the bloody events of February 2018, which led to the martyrdom of police personnel, and has since grown exponentially.
Notably, their operational model has been upgraded by the intelligence services of the Zionist regime, shifting from vehicle ramming to the use of firearms — effectively acquiring an “Israeli brand.” Some key network leaders, such as Vahid Beheshti, have repeatedly traveled to the occupied territories and received training in military camps. In the recent unrest, this current shifted from a seemingly Sufi appearance to a takfiri form.
Some signs suggest that this new terrorist phenomenon, whose operations focus on sabotage, is an updated version of the Tawhid and Jihad Group in Syria, also known as the “White Flags.” This sect also showed signs of itself during the 2022 unrest, particularly in the Javanrud region.
The analysis of these emerging terrorist phenomena — operating in hard and semi-hard forms under hostile intelligence guidance during the recent unrest — shows they share eight common features: extreme violence, lack of restraint, anti-religious stance, organized structure, anti-system radicalism, receptiveness to training, reliance on cyber technology, and connections with destructive foreign intelligence services. These terrorist groups, with their media pulse, have influenced emotional segments of the population aged 17 to 25.
Furthermore, all these armed cells have had connection points or overlaps with classic terrorist groups such as the Mujahedin, separatists, takfiris, and the deviant Baha’i sect, acting as proxies for them. In recent days, this communication line has come under pressure from Iran’s intelligence community. A clear example is the explanatory report by the IRGC Intelligence Organization on the activity of 10 hostile services in the recent unrest.
It is also essential to note that classic terrorism shares some similarities and differences with emerging terrorism. The main common points are bombings, assassinations, and armed attacks, but the scale, execution methods, and types of threats differ.
Ultimately, overcoming the current planned anti-Iran phase requires a new and precise definition of terrorism. Terrorism always involves violence or the threat of violence. The first step on this risky path is citizen education. This subtle point will help Iran safely avoid the Syrian scenario.
By Mortaza Simiyari