Mullahs frightened over information leaks from the National Security Council

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) top commanders close to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are warning him over information leaking from the regime’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) under its current secretary, Brig. General Ali Larijani who is also the top mullahs’ negotiator with the West over the nuclear dispute.The IRGC commanders have put forth as proof of such leakage the following facts:

•    Prior to Arbil’s arrests of five top IRGC commanders by the U.S. forces, the so-called Iranian consulate in the Kurdish city was brought up in a close meeting of the SNSC in great details to find ways for increasing its activities. Subsequent to the discussions, Brig. Mohammad Sahraroodi, a top negotiator in Sharm-el-Sheikh Conference and a deputy to Ali Larijani on security Affairs, traveled to Arbil. A short time later the U.S. forces seized the facility and arrested five Quds force commanders in northern Iraq.

•    Brig. Gen. Ali-Reza Asgari defected to the West with a huge amount of cash and gold bars which he collected over the years as the commander of logistics at the IRGC. His arrest was planed in the SNSC shortly before his disappearance, but he was able to escape just in time. This event upset Larijani personally since he presided over the session of SNSC when Asgari’s intention to defecting was discussed.

•    It is widely believed that some of the most secret discussions such as nuclear issues in the SNSC are leaked to circles which have caused great concern, especially in Ali Khamenei office.    

To eliminate the problem, Larijani has appointed one of the most brutal IRGC and Quds force commanders, Brig. Gen. Ali Fazli to investigate the matter and directly report to him. Fazli is currently a deputy to Brig. Gen. Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr, the former deputy chief of IRGC and current deputy Interior Minister.

The way Larijani is handling the problem demonstrates the degree of its seriousness for the mullahs in Tehran.