An Iranian dissident and musician became a target of an assassination plot by the Iranian regime, which ultimately failed, an international Iranian news outlet has learned.
Foiled Assassination Attempt on Iranian Singer and Dissident in Germany
.@IranIntl, citing Western intelligence sources, reported that the Iranian regime plotted to assassinate Shahin Najafi (@shahinnajafi80), a prominent artist known for his outspoken political views and… pic.twitter.com/LcqOplwJOe— Navid Mohebbi (@navidmohebbi) January 4, 2025
Iran International learned that the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) established three assassination squads, collectively known as The German Network, to target both Iranian dissidents and Jewish citizens living in Europe.
One of the network’s biggest targets includes Iranian dissident singer and musician Shahin Najafi, who immigrated to Germany after being banned by the Islamic Republic for one of his music shows.
An assassin from The German Network supposedly planned to kill Najafi on September 17, 2023, coinciding with the anniversary of the “Women, Life, Freedom” protests that erupted in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini under police custody back in September 2022, at the Theater am Aegi in Hanover.
“IRGC insider” hahahahahaha
Iran international (owned by Israel and America) desperate to trick people into destroying Iran— Awakened Iranian in USA (@FootballCo60053) January 4, 2025
The assassin approached the venue on the night of the concert, but after noticing the sudden increase in security measures, he received a phone call from Tehran instructing him to abort the mission. The plotters concluded that their plan would have likely been compromised and canceled the operation to prevent the entire network from being exposed.
Iran International reportedly learned the assassin received orders to assassinate Najafi from 36-year-old Ramin Yektaparast, a notorious Iranian-German gangster and a member of the Hell’s Angel, which Iran reportedly hired in the past to kill an Iranian defector.
Yektaparast was killed by individuals allegedly linked to Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency, in Tehran in April 2024. The gangster, along with an IRGC member, was targeted as part of a Mossad operation. He was the main suspect in organizing an attack at a Jewish center in Essen, Germany.
This is what they do! Islamic Republic is a thug, terrorist, occupying regime in Iran. Blast them out for good! They belong in the trash heap of history.
— Jasmine PN (@jassyp101) January 4, 2025
When asked for comment, Shahin Najafi said the concert that night had an unusual atmosphere, with significantly heightened police security measures.
When asked about the incident, the Criminal and Terrorism Affairs Departments of the German Federal Police (BKA) said that “for data protection reasons, the BKA does not comment on personal data."
Najafi, a dissident activist who supports Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, has been subject to two fatwa death sentences after he released his song "Ay Naghi!" ("Hey, Naghi!"), which references the tenth Imam of Shia Islam. The IRGC-linked Fars News Agency also reported that a bounty had been placed on his head.
