Gholamreza Derikvand, Iran’s chargé d’affaires at the embassy in Vienna, has requested political asylum in Switzerland for himself and his family, according to a report by Iran International.The blog Intel Times assesses that Derikvand possesses extensive intelligence information accumulated during his posting in Vienna, as well as from his earlier role as chargé d’affaires at Iran’s embassy in Prague (Czech Republic) from 2011 to 2014.
During that period, parts of a network run by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) operated in Europe through Assadollah Assadi, a diplomat-agent (from Department 312) at the Iranian embassy in Vienna. Assadi was arrested in Germany in 2018 en route to Belgium, where he planned to carry out an attack on an NCRI/MEK rally near Paris.
Assadi was convicted in Belgium in 2021, and the investigation revealed that the Vienna embassy served a dual role: official diplomacy (particularly vis-à-vis the IAEA) alongside intelligence and terrorism operations targeting dissidents.
The potential intelligence that Derikvand could provide to the West is significant. His defection could offer critical insights into how the Vienna embassy recovered and adapted after the 2018 Assadi affair—including changes to networks, new concealment methods, and the evolution of MOIS and IRGC networks across Europe. This may include surviving connections and assets, details on current staff, agents, and active sources in Europe. It could also provide internal perspectives on Iran’s “red lines” regarding its nuclear program, deceptions vis-à-vis the IAEA, escalation plans, or methods for circumventing sanctions—precisely the issues handled daily in Vienna.
Switzerland, with its close intelligence ties to the West, has become an ideal destination for such defections. Information from Derikvand could deal a serious blow to Tehran, especially amid the regime’s growing cracks (ongoing protests, economic and political crises).As of now, there has been no official response from Iran or Switzerland, and the matter remains in its early stages of development.