Iran's Quds Force Appoints New Head for Secret Assassination Unit

Iran's Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani has appointed a new leader for a clandestine unit responsible for overseas assassinations, following the previous commander's elimination in an Israeli strike. The unit, formerly known as Unit 840, has been renamed Unit 600 and reorganized after its personnel and operational structure were exposed. This move comes amid ongoing efforts by the Quds Force to rebuild its covert operations capabilities after a series of intelligence breaches and foiled operations worldwide.

According to reports from the Iranian opposition outlet Iran International, Mojtaba Haq-Lasan, 64, has been named the new commander. Haq-Lasan previously served as the head of the unit's intelligence department. He replaces Yazdan Mir, also known as Haj Asghar Bakri, who was killed in an Israeli targeted strike on April 6. Since Mir's death, the unit has operated without a permanent commander.

The reshuffling and renaming of the unit are seen as a response to repeated blows to the command structure and the exposure of its activities, which have reportedly raised doubts among Quds Force members about the organization's effectiveness. The new command structure, as detailed in an "Iran International" report, includes Mohammad Reza Ansari as deputy commander responsible for Israel-related activities, Mohsen Boroujerdi overseeing operations in the US and Europe, Mortaza Baba'i for the Middle East and Africa, and Javad Sharafa'i for Asia. Several other operatives involved in planning attacks have also been identified.

Unit 840 was established in the early 2010s under the directive of then-Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani, stemming from Quds Force Unit 400, a secret special operations framework with close ties to Hezbollah. The unit has been linked to numerous plots, including alleged assassination attempts on American and Israeli officials, journalists, and regime opponents. Western intelligence services have previously targeted the unit's headquarters in Damascus. The US Department of Justice has also filed indictments against individuals involved in alleged plots, such as the attempted assassination of former National Security Advisor John Bolton.

Recent years have seen a string of intelligence failures and thwarted operations attributed to the unit, leading to sanctions from the US, UK, and EU against several senior figures involved in overseas assassination plots. These include Mohammad Reza Ansari, who was sanctioned by the US Treasury and the UK for his alleged involvement in planning assassinations and attempts on former US administration officials and Israeli businessmen in Colombia. The unit's methods have reportedly included utilizing criminal organizations and local criminals for attacks abroad, as seen in alleged plots in Germany, the UK, Scandinavia, and attempts on journalists and dissidents.