Noureddine Omar | 2025-09-13

The latest arrest of Iranian nationals affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) underscores not only the regime’s disregard for the laws of other nations but also its ongoing attempts to destabilize peace worldwide.

In June, the US Department of Homeland Security announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had arrested 11 Iranian nationals who had entered the country illegally.

Among those detained was Ribvar Karimi, arrested in Locust, Alabama. Karimi reportedly served as an Iranian Army sniper between 2018 and 2021.

At the time of his arrest, authorities said he was carrying an official Iranian army's identification card.

Experts warn that the influx of Iranian nationals with direct links to the IRGC – designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States in 2019 – poses a serious security risk not only to the US but also to other countries where they attempt to infiltrate illegally.

Exporting terror

"Since seizing power in Iran, the IRGC has promoted the idea of exporting the revolution through arms and cells it has established in many countries, either to carry out terrorist operations or participate in illegal trade, in addition to money laundering," Sheyar Turko, an expert on IRGC activities, told Al-Fassel.

"Since the United States is the spearhead in the war against it, it of course has been sending agents of Iranian or other nationalities for decades, some of whom enter legally and others illegally," he said.

Turko noted that "some of them are members of the Iranian army and the IRGC, and at least one of the 11 defendants has ties to the Lebanese Hizbullah."

He explained that these individuals operate as "sleeper cells" ready to act immediately upon receiving orders, particularly since some entered the United States just last year amid escalating regional and international tensions.

"The pursuit, monitoring, and surveillance operations on US soil have increased to protect national security and maintain the security and safety of citizens and residents, which has led to an increase in the arrest rate of illegal residents, including Iranians," Turko said.

He reiterated that some of the detainees have direct ties to the Iranian military and Hizbullah, emphasizing the risks posed by these covert networks.

Exploiting diversity

The United States has been and remains a dreamland for those aspiring to a better life than the one they have in their own countries, said Lawyer Bashir al-Bassam.

"The IRGC has been exploiting this diversity to bring in its agents by all means, he told Al-Fassel.

Al-Bassam described these actions as "the height of hostile actions by the IRGC, directly targeting US domestic security due to the political differences."

"Consequently, US security authorities will be under great pressure during this period, but the most important factor will be spreading internal awareness and fortifying the interior to report any suspicious movements by civilians, especially when illegal immigrants or individuals behaving in suspicious ways are spotted," he said.