Joe Zacs, a retired senior CIA counterterrorism official, has warned that Al-Qaeda continues to operate without restrictions in both Iran and Afghanistan. He revealed that the group’s current leader, Saif al-Adel, is living in Tehran under the protection of the IRGC, and urged Washington to exert maximum pressure on both regimes to halt their support for the terror network .
Zacs described the Taliban’s counterterrorism commitments under the Doha Agreement as “practically meaningless,” citing the sheltering of Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul as proof. He also pointed to recent statements by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, who suggested cooperation with Tehran in the event of a US attack, as evidence of their deepening alliance .
Reports indicate that Saif al-Adel is consulting with Mullah Hibatullah about temporarily moving Al-Qaeda’s leadership base to Afghanistan should the Iranian regime fall. Zacs believes that the current international isolation of both the Taliban and Iran presents a strategic opportunity for the US to force compliance and dismantle these networks .
Former CIA Official Warns Al-Qaeda Operates Freely in Iran and Afghanistan
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