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Iranian regime’s Consulate in Vienna, Austria
A damning investigative report by Austrian newspaper Der Standard has exposed the suspicious ties between Ramin Mirfakhrai, a Vienna-based lawyer, and powerful entities linked to the Iranian regime. While Mirfakhrai has been hailed as a civil society figure for his role in the 2019 “Ibiza Affair” that led to the downfall of Austrian right-wing politicians, newly uncovered documents suggest he was simultaneously involved in highly questionable dealings connected to Iran.
Facilitating Tehran’s Influence in Austria
According to Der Standard, Mirfakhrai acted as a trusted intermediary for an Iranian-affiliated network in Vienna, helping facilitate visa applications for high-ranking Iranian officials. This was done through Blue River Holding GmbH, a Vienna-based company that allegedly assisted Iranian elites in gaining access to Europe despite international sanctions isolating the regime. Documents indicate that Blue River even attempted to establish a financial transaction system between Iran and Europe to bypass sanctions.
According to the paper, Mirfakhrai’s role extended beyond legal representation—he was reportedly involved in brokering financial deals. In 2021, Blue River sought a €10 million bank loan for its Iranian ventures, and Mirfakhrai was allegedly present in discussions with former Austrian right-wing politicians acting as intermediaries. Internal meeting notes from Blue River explicitly mention his name as the one reviewing the financing conditions.
#Iran News: Swedish News Outlet Exposes Rouzbeh Parsi’s Ties to Regime’s #Influence Networkhttps://t.co/9xkCG1TKZ9
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 29, 2025
Furthermore, Der Standard uncovered that Mirfakhrai was instrumental in negotiating a luxury car export deal to Iran, attempting to partner with British automaker Bentley. The Iranian partner in this deal was Zar Group, a Tehran-based company with deep ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Zar Group’s executives, including CEO Morteza Soltani, have been publicly praised by the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and are closely linked to the Basij militia—a notorious paramilitary arm of the IRGC.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
Despite mounting evidence, Mirfakhrai denies any wrongdoing, claiming he was unaware of the full scope of Blue River’s activities. He insists he is no longer associated with the company and rejects allegations of direct involvement in financing deals. However, Der Standard highlights that his name appears repeatedly in internal Blue River documents, raising serious doubts about his denials.
Tracing #Iran’s Web of Influence in #European Politicshttps://t.co/MHj1gvKCtv
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 26, 2023
This investigation exposes how Iranian regime operatives use intermediaries in Europe to navigate sanctions, secure financial deals, and expand their influence covertly. The deep-rooted presence of Tehran-linked networks in Austria underscores a larger concern: the extent to which Iran’s regime has infiltrated European institutions under the guise of business and legal transactions.
As Austria and the EU tighten restrictions on Iran, this revelation raises urgent questions about who within European institutions is facilitating Tehran’s agenda—and at what cost to democratic transparency and security.