France links foiled Paris Bank of America bombing to Iran war — interior minister cites European proxy campaign

French authorities foiled a bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in the 8th arrondissement of Paris on Saturday March 28. Police spotted two suspects carrying a shopping bag near the premises and intervened before the device could be deployed. Five suspects have been arrested in total, including two on March 30. The national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into alleged terrorism-related offenses. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez declared on March 30 that authorities were probing a 'direct link' to Iran, stating: 'The modus operandi is in every respect similar to actions that have been carried out in the Netherlands and in Belgium.' In those cases, a pro-Iranian group using the Telegram name Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right) claimed responsibility and linked the attacks to the Iran war. The same group claimed the March 29 London arson of four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity. Nuñez described Iran's operational pattern as: 'Intelligence services of this country operate in this way — they use proxies, a series of subcontractors, often common criminals, to carry out highly targeted actions aimed at US interests, the interests of the Jewish community, or Iranian opposition figures.' French authorities have stepped up protection of Iranian opposition figures since the start of the war.