Second Iranian Diplomat In Europe Defects, Seeks Asylum, Amid US Pressure Campaign 

Trump’s repeated threats to bomb Iran seem to have resulted in some Iranian officials abandoning ship. There have been reports of two such recent instances.

In the latest, Iran’s chargé d’affaires in Vienna, Gholamreza Derikvand, abruptly abandoned his post and is reportedly seeking asylum in Switzerland for himself and his family.

Source: Sharif University of Technology

The Iranian government has not confirmed this, however, and Iran’s Foreign Ministry has simply said amid the speculation of the diplomat’s sudden absence that it is “avoiding discussing the case or claiming ignorance due to fear of intelligence agencies.”

Derikvand’s colleagues told Iran International that Derikvand was widely seen as a rising figure within Iran’s diplomatic corps and could have been promoted to ambassador had he stayed on. His résumé includes a previous stint as chargé d’affaires at Iran’s embassy in the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2014.

The story broke Tuesday in Iran International – an online news portal which has long been accused of having links to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. This means all initial claims should be taken in context and with a critical eye.

Israeli media itself has reviewed of the London-based outlet falling under suspicion:

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry claimed to have found a broadcast studio belonging to London-based anti-regime outlet Iran International in Tel Aviv, Iranian media reported this week.

The ministry also claimed to have identified “a number of individuals working at, or with,” the outlet, as well as their alleged residences.

…Iran International is designated as a “terrorist broadcaster” by Tehran, which alleges that it works alongside Mossad to “destabilize” the Islamic Republic.

But as for an Iranian top-level diplomat defecting while the Islamic Republic faces massive US political and even military pressure – this makes sense and there is precedent, also on the heels of last month’s deadly protests in Iran where thousands died.

A prior alleged defection surfaced in headlines just last month, as Newsmax recalls:

The report follows another recent case in Switzerland involving an Iranian diplomat assigned to the United Nations’ European headquarters in Geneva.

On Jan. 18, Iran International reported that Alireza Jeyrani Hokmabad, described as a senior official and deputy head of Iran’s mission to U.N. agencies in Geneva, left his workplace and applied for asylum with his family.

If this becomes a trend, it would be highly embarrassing for the Iranian government and its diplomatic corps. This alone gives motive for Tehran wanting to keep it quiet, and so will probably hold off commenting.