Anti-Iran Propagandist Rouhollah Zam Stands Trial in Iran

Zam, who was arrested last October in a “sophisticated” operation by the IRGC’s Intelligence Organization, is being tried in Tehran at the 15th Branch of Revolution Court by Judge Salavati.

Zam has been charged with:

1. Spreading Corruption on Earth
2. Opening and running anti-Iran Telegram channels Amad News and Sedaye Mardom with the aim of disrupting the country’s security
3. Spying for the Israeli intelligence service through the spy service of one of the regional countries
4. Spying for the French intelligence service
5. Working with the hostile government of US against Iran
6. Gathering and collusion with the aim of committing crimes against Iran’s national and international security
7. Extensive complicity in propaganda activities against the Islamic Establishment of Iran and in favour of groups and organizations working against Iran
8. Membership and management of anti-Iran news website Saham News with the aim of disrupting Iran’s national security
9. Complicity in provoking and luring people into war and slaughter with the aim of disrupting the country’s national security
10. Complicity in collection of classified information with the aim of sharing them with others and disrupting the country’s national security
11. Complicity in extensive dissemination of fake news
12. Effective provocation of resistance forces and those serving the Iranian Armed Forces into riot, desertion, surrender or refusal to implement their military duties
13. Insulting the Islamic sanctities
14. Insulting Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution
15. Insulting the officials and officers serving the nation
16. Illicit acquisition of assets totally worth 97,550 euros.

He has also been sued by a number of legal and natural people.

Zam who used to live in Paris, operated the opposition Telegram channel and news site dubbed “Amad News” with over one million followers.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in a statement in October described Zam’s arrest as a blow to foreign intelligence services that directed and supported him, especially the French intelligence service as well as the US and Israeli intelligence services.

Shortly after his arrest, Zam appeared on Iran’s national TV and expressed remorse for his wrongdoings. He said “I am sorry for the way I have behaved and misused mass media. I am sorry for trusting foreign governments. Trusting the French government in particular, was wrong. I never thought I would get caught.”

Zam was apparently en route to Baghdad through Amman on October 11 before being arrested. He had even sent his wife a photo of himself in the Amman airport.

There were reports that he had been lured into visiting Iraq and meet with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf, but the top Shiite cleric’s office denied the allegations.