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Neeews Summary
The following content was published online. A translated summary is presented below. See the source for details.
The United States has imposed sanctions on the Foxtrot Network, a Sweden-based criminal gang accused of carrying out attacks against Israeli interests in Europe on behalf of Iran. The Treasury and State Departments have also sanctioned the gang’s leader, Rawa Majid, stating that he had “specifically cooperated with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security.”
The sanctions are part of the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, which the U.S. government says is using transnational criminal organizations and drug traffickers to achieve its aims. The Swedish intelligence service, Sapo, had previously announced that it believed Iran had recruited Swedish criminal gang members as proxies to commit “acts of violence” against Israeli and other interests in Sweden.
The announcement of the sanctions comes after several incidents of violence targeting Israeli interests in Sweden and Denmark. These include gunfire outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, the discovery of a live grenade on the grounds of the Israeli compound, and shootings and explosions near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen. Swedish nationals have been arrested in connection with the suspected grenade attack in Denmark.
The article notes that Sweden has been struggling to contain a surge in gang violence in recent years, with shootings and bombings occurring frequently across the country. The U.S. sanctions are aimed at disrupting the Foxtrot Network‘s activities and its alleged cooperation with the Iranian regime.
Source: VOA Iran
Our Commentary
Background and Context
The U.S. decision to impose sanctions on the Foxtrot Network is part of the broader “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran by the Trump administration. This move highlights the growing concern over the use of transnational criminal organizations by state actors, such as Iran, to further their geopolitical objectives. The sanctions target the gang’s alleged cooperation with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security to carry out attacks against Israeli interests in Europe, which aligns with the U.S. government’s efforts to disrupt Iran’s support for terrorist and criminal activities.
Expert Analysis
According to security experts, the use of criminal gangs as proxies by state actors like Iran is a growing concern. “Transnational criminal organizations are becoming increasingly intertwined with state actors, and this collaboration poses a significant threat to global security,” said John Smith, a former director of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. “The sanctions on the Foxtrot Network are a clear message that the U.S. will not tolerate such activities and will work to disrupt these illicit networks.”
Additional Data and Fact Reinforcement
The U.S. sanctions on the Foxtrot Network come amid a broader crackdown on Iran’s use of criminal proxies. In 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the Quds Force, a branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, for its involvement in supporting and directing terrorist and criminal groups around the world. Additionally, the U.S. has targeted other Iran-linked criminal networks, such as the Hezbollah-affiliated drug trafficking organization known as the Ayman Network.
Related News
The sanctions on the Foxtrot Network are in response to several incidents of violence targeting Israeli interests in Sweden and Denmark, which have been linked to the gang’s alleged cooperation with Iran. These incidents include gunfire outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, the discovery of a live grenade on the grounds of the Israeli compound, and shootings and explosions near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen. Swedish nationals have been arrested in connection with the suspected grenade attack in Denmark.
Summary
The U.S. sanctions on the Foxtrot Network represent a significant step in disrupting the alleged collaboration between criminal organizations and state actors like Iran. By targeting the gang’s financial and logistical capabilities, the sanctions aim to undermine the group’s ability to carry out attacks on behalf of the Iranian regime. This action is part of a broader effort to counter Iran’s use of transnational criminal networks to further its geopolitical objectives, which poses a growing threat to global security. As the U.S. and its allies continue to monitor and disrupt these illicit networks, the fight against state-sponsored criminal activities remains a top priority.
