The United States, along with 13 European allies, has issued a strong joint condemnation of Iran’s alleged cross-border operations, accusing Tehran’s intelligence services of engaging in illegal activities including assassination plots, kidnappings, and harassment campaigns across Europe and North America.
In a joint statement released by the US Department of State on Thursday (local time), the countries declared they are “united in opposition” to Iran’s actions, which they say violate international norms and the sovereignty of their nations.
“We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty,” the statement read.
The statement also warned that Iranian operatives are increasingly working with international criminal networks to carry out these operations. It specifically highlighted that the targets of such activities have included journalists, dissidents, Jewish individuals, and both current and former officials living abroad.
Calling the operations “dangerous and unacceptable,” the joint declaration reiterated the group’s commitment to coordinate efforts to disrupt and prevent such threats within their territories.
Signatories to the statement include the United States, United Kingdom, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.
The allied nations urged Iran to “immediately cease” these covert operations and warned of continued multilateral vigilance to safeguard the rights and safety of individuals targeted on foreign soil.
