Inside Iran’s Secret Security Operations: A Defector’s Account
Omid, whose real name is withheld for safety, enlisted in Iran’s security forces at the age of 18, driven by a strong sense of patriotism. He described the intense control over cadets at the training academy, where their minds are shaped by the regime through constant military training, prayers, and speeches.
According to Omid, some recruits ascend through the ranks to join an elite group responsible for planning missions, abductions, and assassinations, both inside and outside Iran. He claimed to have attended their meetings.
In early 2026, Omid, a commanding figure with scars from years of service in Iran’s special forces, reached out to DW, prompting thorough deliberation within the team on whether he might be a source of misinformation. Over the following months, DW journalists communicated with him, examining his training records, which included sniper practice and riot control, as well as photographs of clandestine facilities for high-ranking officials.
Omid’s account sheds light on a clandestine group of officers who collaborate to eliminate regime opponents while expressing unwavering loyalty to Iran’s supreme leader. His testimony has helped DW piece together the functioning of Iran’s security forces amid widespread protests, economic difficulties, and hostility from foreign adversaries like Israel and the United States.
DW corroborated Omid’s narrative through various documents and second-hand accounts from another defector, Reza, a former member of Iran’s intelligence agency. Both men’s identities have been verified, but certain specifics are withheld for their safety.
Iran has a history of targeting dissidents abroad, including journalists. DW sought responses from the Iranian embassy in Berlin and the Supreme Leader’s Office about these allegations. The embassy denied the claims without addressing the specifics.
Omid described the privileges of high-ranking officers within the regime—from financial perks and lucrative contracts to exclusive housing compounds featuring mosques and schools—all strictly monitored. He highlighted the level of control exerted over officers, including their personal lives, schooling for children, and even who their partners could be. He was unable to share the true nature of his work with his wife, a fact he found particularly burdensome.
Political scientist Saeid Golkar noted that this separation of security forces from the general population fosters peer pressure and indoctrination, making them more likely to act against civilians.
Reza’s story mirrors Omid’s. Initially a fervent supporter of the regime, his loyalty waned after witnessing the violent repression of protests over economic hardships. Many of his relatives still hold influential positions within the regime.
Both defectors described the brutal crackdown on protesters during unrest in January 2026, which resulted in thousands of deaths. Images revealing the regime’s brutality only surfaced gradually, intensifying their decision to speak out.
Omid insisted he had not ordered violence against protesters, although he acknowledged witnessing such acts. Reza, burdened by years of service to a “cruel system,” felt compelled to share his experience, recognising the moral void of the regime.
The pair discussed advanced surveillance methods used in Iran, including command centres filled with CCTV feeds from across Tehran. They reported that drones monitor protests and that undercover agents manipulate demonstrations to lead crowds into ambushes by security forces.
Omid disclosed the existence of a covert meeting space, referred to as Dakhme, where high-ranking officers allegedly plotted extrajudicial operations. He claimed decisions regarding abductions and murders were made there, although he professed to have only attended under orders from superiors.
Despite the difficult conditions surrounding operations like Dakhme, experts suggested its existence is credible, particularly as Iran seeks to maintain plausible deniability for violent acts.
Such meetings, disguised as religious ceremonies, are shrouded in secrecy. Participants lock away their phones before discussing plans that threaten anyone deemed a risk to the regime.
Omid stressed that loyalty to the Islamic Republic drives these operatives to act ruthlessly in defending their leadership.
This report is a collaboration involving DW’s investigative unit and has been fact-checked and translated appropriately to maintain accuracy while ensuring safety for those involved.
