For example, the Ahlul Bayt World Assembly (ABWA) was ostensibly set up to promote Iran’s revolutionary ideology overseas and to serve as a link between the Iranian clerical establishment and foreign Shia clerics. However, ABWA has also served as an effective cover for assisting with intelligence-gathering; spotting and recruiting foreign students; and moving money and materiel destined for Qods Force (and MOIS) operations. The head of ABWA, Mohammad Hassan Akhtari, is a two-time ambassador to Syria with decades of experience in the Levant dating back to the forma-tion of Hezbollah. He understands Iran’s objectives in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon as well as anyone and effectively merges ABWA and the Qods Force wherever necessary to advance covert action pro-grams in the region. Qods Force commanders rely on entities such as ABWA to help with information operations designed to shape local opinion in favor of Iran; to maintain contact and supply lines with Pushback Countering the Iran Action Network Shia proxy groups; and as foreign-based units for
collecting information.
Ahlul Bayt World Assembly (ABWA) was ostensibly set up to promote Iran’s revolutionary ideology
Source » https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/169182/CNAS_Pushback_ModellAsher.pdf