The Dutch intelligence service AIVD has accused Iran of being behind an attempted murder of an Iranian activist in Haarlem last summer.

The claim, described as “likely, based on intelligence” is made in the agency’s annual report, published on Tuesday.

It marks the first time in years that Dutch authorities have publicly accused another country of orchestrating a targeted attack on Dutch soil, broadcaster NOS reported. A similar accusation was last made in 2019, after the Netherlands expelled two Iranian diplomats over the killing of dissidents.

The Haarlem case involved Iranian activist Siamak Tahmasbi, who discovered two men climbing onto his balcony in the middle of the night. They were in contact via phone with a third individual, who appeared to be directing the operation remotely.

Two of the suspects are known to police through criminal networks and are also wanted in connection with a failed murder attempt in Madrid in late 2023. That case involved former Spanish politician and vocal Iran critic Alejo Vidal-Quadras, the AIVD said.

Members of the Iranian diaspora have repeatedly called for stronger protection in the Netherlands. Ahmad Mola Nissi, a Dutch-Iranian political activist, was murdered in The Hague in 2017 after reporting multiple threats to the police.

No suspect was ever arrested, and the family has since held the Dutch state liable for his death.

Since 2022, parliament has pushed for a national reporting point for diaspora communities facing threats or intimidation. The platform has yet to be launched although the current cabinet aims to begin a pilot programme by the end of this year.

Global risks

In its report the AIVD also warned that the shifting global power balance poses risks for the Netherlands because it owes much of its peace and prosperity to international trade and a rules-based global system.

“We are experiencing a transition — from a situation in which our security felt self-evident to one in which it has become the main concern for many Western countries,” said AIVD director-general Erik Akerboom.

“The service is doing everything it can to respond to today’s challenges and to be prepared for a range of possible geopolitical developments.”