ASMLA was founded in 1999 and is a Saudi-backed organization that strives to establish an independent Arab state in the southwestern oil-rich Iranian province of Khuzestan.

The separatist organization is branded as a terrorist organization by the Iranian regime and although the organization does not yet have the same classification in Europe, its members live a dangerous life.

Denmark called home its ambassador

In Denmark, the members have lived under constant police protection and there were, according to the Danish security police, concrete plans from the Iranian intelligence service to assassinate their leaders.

The assassination plans caused Denmark to act and the country called home its ambassador from Tehran.

Iran, for its part, has dismissed the allegations as pure conspiracies.

But the question of the region is very sensitive for the country, not least after an attack on a military parade in which 25 people, several of them civilians, lost their lives.

Do not want to distance yourself from violence

The Danish spokesman for ASMLA denied after the attack that it had anything to do with the planning, but at the same time called the attack a legitimate target.

The organization has in repeated interviews had remarkably vague statements about the incident.

In an interview with Danska DR, their leader explained his view on the matter:

- Of course, there are some in the Ahvaz movement who believe in self-defense against the Revolutionary Guards.

Our view is that our people have the right to defend themselves.

But we do not support action against civilians.

But you are part of an organization that uses acts of violence?

- We do not make decisions and do not participate in the planning of anything.

We're just saying our opinion.

Our people have the right to defend themselves, just as Danes defended themselves when Denmark was occupied by the Nazis, he said.

ASMLA also has close ties to Iran's arch-enemy Saudi Arabia.

The Danish Public Prosecutor's Office and the Security Police (PET) believe that during the period 2012 to 2018, ASMLA received or attempted to receive DKK 20 million from a Saudi intelligence service.

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