RFL/RE – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) says it has captured exiled opposition activist Roohollah Zam, claiming he was being directed and supported by intelligence officials from France, the United States, and Israel.
Roohollah Zam has vowed to take down the government.
The IRGC said in a statement read out on state TV on October 14 that its agents captured and returned Zam, who headed the popular anti-government outlet Amadnews.
It described the action as a “complex operation using intelligence deception,” but did not give further details.
Making use of the encrypted safety of the messaging app Telegram and Amadnews, which he runs from abroad, Zam had vowed to take down the government.
Tehran shut down the channel on Telegram at the end of 2017 and has accused Zam’s channels of “encouraging hateful content.” But the channel reappeared under a different name.
Zam, the 46-year-old son of reformist Shi’ite cleric Mohammad Ali Zam, has denied various claims that he has links to Iranian intelligence services or gets funding from foreign countries.
Amadnews has more than 1 million followers on social media.
With reporting by Fars and IRNA