This article is more than 10 months old

This article is more than 10 months old

Albanian police say they have discovered an Iranian paramilitary network that allegedly planned attacks in Albania against exiled members of an Iranian group that is seeking to overthrow the government in Tehran.

The country’s police chief, Ardi Veliu, said the foreign wing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards operated an “active terrorist cell” targeting members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq, or MEK, in Albania.

He did not say what the alleged plot involved or whether any arrests were made.

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A police statement alleged that two Iranian security officials led the cell from Tehran. It said the network was allegedly linked to organised crime groups in Turkey and used a former MEK member to collect information in Albania.

Veliu said a planned attack on the group in Albania by Iranian government agents was foiled in March.

Last year Albania expelled Iran’s ambassador and another Iranian diplomat over alleged illegal activities threatening Albania’s security.

MEK is outlawed in Iran and was listed as a terrorist organisation by the US state department until 2012. Around 2,500 of its members moved to Albania from Iraq in 2014.