“... The people who have been in prison so far cannot therefore be described as prisoners or detainees. "They are hostages of the regime," says Schindler, who now heads the Counter Extremism Project, a think tank that focuses on terrorism. Ultimately, the Iranians are not interested in giving the German detainees a fair trial, but rather in convicting them on flimsy evidence in order to use them as political bargaining chips. This was also the case with Helmut Hofer. "The Iranians' idea was to exchange him for the terrorist Darabi and his accomplices," says Schindler. Kazem Darabi was the mastermind behind the Mykonos attack in Berlin, in which four Kurdish politicians in exile were killed. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. Germany did not allow itself to be blackmailed by Iran.” 

Donald Trump announces that the attacks on Iran are nearing their end. US troops will withdraw very soon. However, a completely different tone is emerging from Israel. [CEP Senior Director] Middle East expert Hans-Jakob Schindler summarizes the developments. 

There is discussion of U.S. ground operations in Iran, but the risk of American casualties is high. “This is a high-risk strategy that requires careful consideration,” says [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler, a Middle East expert, on WELT TV.

The Revolutionary Guards are the Iranian regime’s defense force against external and internal threats. This elite force, which numbers up to 200,000 members, comprises ground forces, an air force, and a navy. It is responsible for the missile and drone programs. In addition, it is responsible for security in the Strait of Hormuz. This includes the decision to close the strait or launch attacks on Gulf states. “In times of war, the Guard is the central power in Iran,” Hans-Jakob Schindler, head of the Berlin-based think tank Counter Extremism Project, told our editorial team.

At 23:14, CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler discusses recent attacks against the Iranian nuclear program.