The Cutting Edge

Ali Reza Asgari

Approximately three years ago, a retired Iranian general and former deputy defense minister disappeared in Turkey amidst claims of defection. Ali Reza Asgari worked in the Iranian reformist government headed by President Muhammad Khatami. There are conflicting reports regarding when Asgari was last seen. Some state December 2006; others claim early 2007.

The Iranian media is now reporting that Asgari was abducted by Mossad and Western intelligence agencies. Furthermore, Iranian media reports claim that Asgari is currently being held in an Israeli prison. These reports were picked up by Israeli Army Radio last week.

Although no sources have been named, Iranian media reports, “Two years of investigations by relevant institutions show that Ali Reza Asgari is kept in the Zionist regime's prison... [Ali Reza Asgari] was kidnapped by Mossad, German and British intelligence agencies and taken to Israel.”

The Israeli government refuted any association with Asgari's disappearance when reports of his defection began circulating in 2007. There is now speculation that Asgari was abducted by Israeli Mossad and Western intelligence agencies in an effort to obtain information regarding missing Israeli Air Force navigator Ron Arad and the Iranian nuclear program.

These claims contradict a 2007 Washington Post report that claimed Asgari had voluntarily defected and was actively cooperating with Western intelligence agencies. According to the same Washington Post report, Asgari was willingly providing information on Iran's connection to the Lebanese Islamist militant group Hezbollah.

Hans Ruehle, a former chief of the planning staff of the German Defense Ministry, has said Asgari was deeply involved with the establishment of Hezbollah. Ruehle also claims that Asgari exposed Iranian financial connections to joint North Korean and Syrian nuclear weapons development. The intelligence provided by Asgari supposedly led to the Israeli airstrike on a Syrian [nuclear] site in September 2007.

Iranian officials have denied Asgari's connection to the Iranian nuclear program. Western media outlets claim Asgari is deemed to be a “high value” defector and has cooperated with U.S. intelligence.

Cutting Edge Mideast correspondent Adam Abrams writes from Tel Aviv.