Israel involved in Iranian general's disappearance?

Israel involved in Iranian general's disappearance?

Source Link: www.ynetnews.com

Former Iranian deputy defense minister vanished about a month ago on his way from Damascus to Turkey. Iranian officials say Mossad, CIA may have been involved in his disappearance

A senior Iranian general, Ali-Raza Asgari, went missing nearly a month ago in Istanbul and Iranian officials claim that Israel and the United States may have had a hand in his disappearance.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Here's a little background on the story

More of this news:

Iran Establishes Military Liaison With Turkey

A high-level police official did state, "We are trying to find out whether he left or was taken. Interpol has issued a yellow bulletin in accordance with the requests by Iranian officials. The lost Iranian man is someone who worked in sensitive jobs in Iran. Whether he was involved in nuclear activities is being looked into. But it is clear that since he arrived in Istanbul via Damascus he must have had a very important appointment."

I suspect Asqhari's appointment was with the highest level of Turkey's military - industrial establishment, Turkey's command level. Tehran is making a diplomatic effort to find him is just a cover for his real mission-liaison officer between Iran and Turkey's military.

IRANIAN GENERAL'S WHEREABOUTS SHROUDED IN MYSTERY

Asghari is a former general in the hardline Pasdaran or Revolutionary Guard, and served in the cabinet of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami.

Bazta, an internet site linked to the Pasdaran, reported that Ashgari may have been kidnapped.

Baztab recently reported that Asghari's name was one of 20 belonging to Pasdaran officers which appeared on what the site said was a CIA hit-list.

Tehran suspects US agents snatched missing ex-deputy defense minister Gen. Alireza Asquari

The retired Revolutionary Guards officer who served as dep. defense minister for eight years up until 2005 went missing in mysterious circumstances in Istanbul on Feb. 7. Gen. Asquari is the officer in charge of Iran’s undercover operations in central Iraq, according to DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources. He is believed to have masterminded - or even participated - in the armed group which snatched five Americans fromthe US-Iraqi command center in Karbala south of Baghdad Jan. 20 and shot them.

After reading the last news I posted, I why a general of his calibre would end up "missing" when flying out of his country...

Well, It is said he had substantial knowledge of the Iranian involvent in Iraq and possibly the nuclear program. If so, he is a valueable asset for the US in dealing with Iran.
Iran must be really bothered by this.

Guardian

Claims by western intelligence to have scored a coup by securing the defection of a senior Iranian general were contradicted yesterday by the man's relatives, who claimed he had been kidnapped by US or Israeli agents.

Relatives of Ali Reza Asgari, an Iranian former deputy defence minister who disappeared during a trip to Turkey, said reports that he had fled to the west were "lies". They said he would never have spied on Iran or abandoned his family.

Media reports based on unnamed intelligence sources have suggested that he is cooperating with western agencies after escaping from Iran because he feared his cover as a mole was about to be blown.He was said to have fled to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and then to Istanbul after securing the escape of 10 relatives. However, Gen Asgari's wife, Ziba Ahmadi, emerged with his brother and three of his children to talk to reporters. They said all the general's close relatives remained in Iran. "We are here in Iran and have not gone anywhere," said Mrs Ahmadi. "These are enemies' rumours. My husband did not have any problems with Iran that would have led him to seek asylum. The person who wants to seek asylum first takes his family with him."

Interesting point.

And I think relatives of General Asgari know him Best.

Souljah,

That issue is up to debate.
see the facts
here
Let's assume that he was kidnapped. Didn't the Iranian proxy Hezbullah kidnap 2 Israeli soldiers recently, 3 others a few years back and an Israeli civilian (Elhanan Tannenbaum)? The two Israeli soldiers kidnapped by Hezbullah and probably being held in Iran.
The General in question is in charge of the Iranian involvement in Iraq, probably has knowledge about the whereabouts of Ron Arad (the missing Israeli navigator).
If he defected or if he was kidnapped, Iran deserves the stress related to his disappearance and the exposure of his knowledge.

Debka's carries an article in Hebrew now that claims that Hezbullah, for the first time, wishes to meet Israeli negotiators rather than the German mediators. Israel links this surprising request to the missing general.

Do you suggest that kidnapping (assuming it is a kidnapping) of the Iranian General is another Israeli unprovoked act of aggression?

[edit on 13/3/07 by JudahMaccabbi]

Originally posted by JudahMaccabbi
Do you suggest that kidnapping (assuming it is a kidnapping) of the Iranian General is another Israeli unprovoked act of aggression?

I am not suggesting anything.

Just a weird kind of circumstances, which point to Israel and/or USA.

What really happened to him for real we shall never know anyway.