The dangerous principle of the "sleeping agent"

The process of "cleansing" from Iranian agents will soon begin in Azerbaijan. This was reported by the country.az website.

“Preparations for this should have started a long time ago; it was epxected that they will stop. Apparently, they did not understand this and they will not be forgiven. The process will take place in the next 10 days,” the source said.

According to the website, extensive operational measures will be taken in this direction. Many local media disseminated this message with reference to this information.

Who is meant in Azerbaijan under the name "Iranian agents"? The presence of an agent network and the "5th column" of Iran in Azerbaijan is not in doubt among the vast majority of citizens. But how do they recognize who is an Iranian agent?

Security expert Ilham Ismail answered ASTNA's questions on this topic.

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Question:The overwhelming majority of people have no doubts about the existence of an intelligence network and the 5th column of Iran in Azerbaijan. But how will Iranian agents be identified? In general, who do they mean when they talk about Iranian agents in Azerbaijan?

Answer: First of all, the information that “the process of “cleansing” from Iranian agents will begin” and “will happen in the next 10 days” makes a frivolous impression. An agent working for another state is a traitor to the Motherland, he should be arrested. An arrest is not considered a "cleansing." This is the "open the door and let us kill ourselves" approach.

Counterintelligence operations are carried out in the most secret manner and are not announced in advance. What do you think, what spy, having learned that in 10 days measures will be taken against him, will sit and wait for arrest? If someone has in mind the “purge” of those who take an openly pro-Iranian position on social networks, and perceives this information as a preventive measure against the agent network, then he is mistaken. This is not prevention or neutralization of agents.

It is no secret that an agent network of the secret services of the Islamic Republic of Iran operates in Azerbaijan. But, before turning directly to your question, I would like to draw attention to some specific aspects of the activities of the Iranian secret services in Azerbaijan. Iran has intelligence interests in many areas in Azerbaijan. Iran conducts extensive intelligence work in Azerbaijan in political, military-political, ideological directions.

The tense, unstable social and political situation that arose in Azerbaijan in the first years of our independence as a result of the Armenian occupation, the struggle of political forces for power, they were able to take advantage of this situation and created favorable conditions for the creation of an intelligence network by the Iranian secret services. In particular, in the 1990s, when Ali Fallahiya was the head of Iranian intelligence, Iran to a certain extent managed to form an open and secret network, which it used to export the Islamic revolution to Azerbaijan and replace the secular state with a Sharia one.

From time to time, we have witnessed its actions against the state interests of Azerbaijan in the person of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, its individual representatives, young people studying in Qom, even high-ranking officers and other ordinary citizens, but espionage is a form of activity, the detection of which is a very difficult process. Including the Iranian spy network.

The Azerbaijani secret services quite successfully controlled the operational situation in this area, and, as already mentioned, from time to time we witnessed the prosecution of many members of the Iranian intelligence network on charges of treason.

However, one of the characteristic features of Iranian intelligence is the principle of "sleeping agent". This network is even more dangerous. They forbid this category of agents to engage in espionage activities, ordering only to wait for the moment to start ideological, political actions under the plan code-named "Judgment Day", including the commission of terrorist acts. The same is true in Azerbaijan. Therefore, as you said, revealing the Iranian spy network is the task of the secret services, and I think that they will cope with it.

Question: Why is it remembered now? So far the functioning of the Iranian agents has not been in doubt. But why now? That is, they began to think about this step after Iran's military exercises on the border and statements against Azerbaijan? But wasn't there a threat before?

Answer: Given that espionage is considered the second oldest profession, it should be noted that intelligence and counterintelligence work is considered one of the backbones of all states in the world, and each state tries to realize its interests in this direction to the greatest extent. Neighboring states are acting more broadly in this direction. Let me remind you that last fall, after our victory in the Patriotic War, a special crisis arose in our already not very good relations with Iran, and then some arrests were made and some bans were introduced. That is, sometimes, in order to avoid aggravation of interstate relations, specific steps may not be taken, but the activities of the agents are controlled to the necessary extent and, if necessary, they are reported to the opposite side as a response.

At the same time, the fact that the head of state of Azerbaijan informed the leadership of Iran about the transfer to Azerbaijan of 20 of its citizens working against Azerbaijan in Iran, and the fact that the Prosecutor General gave his Iranian colleague the names of 40 more people, indicates that control by state bodies in this case is sufficient.

Iran's recent military exercises on the border, activities against our country as a whole, also set in motion a spy network, and they are waiting for some kind of instructions. However, there is still a pro-Iranian mass that has entered the agent network not on the basis of Shiite sectarianism. They operate openly and do so under Islamic banners.

We see this in social networks, and at the funerals of martyrs, and in the speeches of those who use social discontent as a pretext and say that building a just state lies through the creation of the “Kerimi state”. This social group is an open protest electorate of Iran, and secret "sleeping agents" are trained to carry out terrorist attacks, sabotage and other provocations.

Question: But, there is also a practice in Azerbaijan when a person or persons who are objectionable to them are accused and imprisoned, accusing them of "working for a foreign state" and "they are traitors to the Motherland." In the course of the "Hunt for Nursists" trial, we witnessed the detention of several representatives of the opposition on this charge. In 2013-2014, the crusade of the authorities against civil society was presented by the pro-government media as a “cleansing” from the 5th column of the West. At the same time, during the Nardaran operation, many people were arrested under the pretext that they were working for Iran. However, the fact that most of these people worked for Iran is still in doubt. Where is the guarantee that the authorities will not now start arresting dissidents who have nothing to do with Iran, calling them Iranian agents?

Answer: In 2013-2014, the National Security Service, headed by Eldar Mahmudov, has committed many crimes, including, as you say, charges of "treason."

As is known, the "Hunt for Nursists" began in Turkey, and the termination of the activity of Nursists in Azerbaijan should be regarded as political actions undertaken jointly with Turkey. As Nursists, not only opponents of the government, but also its representatives were punished. And they weren't arrested. True, they were fired, and their business activities were prevented.

As for the operation in Nardaran, there are no changes in its essence, although from a professional point of view it was executed very badly. In other words, the secret connection of those arrested with Iran is beyond doubt. It is proved that they are on the creation of a Sharia state in Azerbaijan, and that they intend to put an end to the independence of Azerbaijan under a religious flag. By the instructions of Iranian intelligence, these persons, in order not to arouse suspicion, held an event under the Azerbaijani flag, and this was nothing more than misleading.

It is no secret that the authorities make illegal arrests from time to time. We have repeatedly witnessed the arrests of politicians under the pretext of drug use and illegal possession of weapons. But, keep in mind that it is much more difficult to prosecute on charges of working for a foreign state than to plant drugs or weapons. Firstly, another country is the opposite side here, and secondly, it is not an easy task to create fictitious espionage without concrete actions.

Question: What should be  done so that it does not turn out to be “in someone else's hangover feast”?

Answer: It has long been known that Iran is an enemy of Azerbaijan, and an enemy of Azerbaijan is a friend of Armenia. In my opinion, so far the political opposition of Azerbaijan has not been accused of working for Iran. The opposition is often accused of working for the West, but Iran is an exception, since Iran itself accuses Azerbaijan's real political opposition of being pro-Western and does not accept these forces. There are no “strangers” in the Iranian spy network, there are only “friends”.

Question: What steps should be taken to protect the state from the influence and provocations of any state, including Iranian spy networks?

Answer: There are also "agents of influence" in the intelligence network of foreign special services. These may be empowered individuals or wealthy individuals. Officials are not the biggest means of influence for the Iranian intelligence network. Influencing the masses by abusing the beliefs of the people under the banner of Islam, in particular the Shiite madhhab, is the greatest means of influence of Iranian intelligence. While other countries, such as Russia, mostly adhere to the line of career advancement of persons in its sphere of influence, Iran wants to take advantage of a religious topic that is sensitive to society. Therefore, it is necessary to fight against the “influences and provocations” you mentioned using different methods.

The best means of combating Iran's influence on religious grounds is the daily bringing to the attention of society concrete facts proving that this country is an enemy of Muslim Azerbaijan and a friend of Armenia and Armenians. Other measures must be taken, our propaganda must be carried out that the mullah regime is hostile to Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis.