The Mojahedin said Austria was among countries “that the regime has chosen to skirt sanctions” in Europe. It did not name other countries.
It said the unnamed head of an Iranian government operation assigned to find ways to get around sanctions had been working with Iran’s “lobby network in Austria for more than eight years and has set up a widespread network.”
The Mojahedin said Iran was in contact with some groups in Austria regarding technology production and it was “also possible to use” banks there. It did not give any names or details that would allow its charges to be investigated.
It said the unnamed Iranian official traveled to Vienna in June for meetings with companies and others, and that two Iranians and two Austrians were among his “covert agents”.
Their activities were funded with cash carried in diplomatic mail, it said, adding the information was obtained by its “network” inside Iran.
Asked about the assertions, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Schallenberg told Reuters they were “unfounded” and that money flows between the two countries had declined sharply.
Ministry checks with government and Central Bank officials showed that applications for money transfers and payments above 10,000 euros between Austrian banks and Iran which must be reported under EU rules had “fallen drastically in recent months.” He gave no figures, however.