Iran security apparatus uses elite units for assassinations, deserter claims

A former commander of Iran’s elite special forces, using the pseudonym Omid, has provided testimony regarding the Iranian regime’s clandestine operations against political opponents. Omid, who joined the security forces at age 18, describes a rigorous indoctrination process designed to mold the minds of young cadets through constant surveillance, military training, and religious instruction.

According to his testimony, a secret circle of high-ranking officers, bound by absolute loyalty to Iran’s Supreme Leader, utilizes an elite unit to plan and execute kidnappings and assassinations both within Iran and abroad. Omid has provided documentation, including photographs and videos of sniper training, urban combat, and surveillance, as well as the locations of secret surveillance centers and residential complexes reserved for high-ranking security officials.

His accounts offer a rare look into the opaque and powerful security apparatus that enables the regime to maintain control despite international sanctions and domestic protests.