KUWAIT CITY, May 2: Several Kuwaiti MPs on Sunday blasted neighbouring Iran over an espionage cell allegedly busted by the country’s security forces, calling on the government to expel Tehran’s ambassador.
“We call for freezing all agreements with Iran... The government should recall our ambassador from Tehran and expel the Iranian ambassador from Kuwait,” hardline Salafi MP Mohammad Hayef told reporters.
Hayef, who is well known for his anti-Iran stance, blasted the government for its silence, and warned that if it does not clarify its position “we will call for a special debate in parliament over the spy cell.”
Citing a high-ranking security source, Al-Qabas daily reported on Saturday that security agencies had dismantled a spy cell working for Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps.
The Iranian embassy has denied the information in the report.

Independent MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri, the spokesman for parliament’s interior and defence committee, called for the expulsion of the Iranian envoy in Kuwait “if the news about the spy cell is proved.”
“We hope that the government releases a statement on the issue and if it is true, the government must act decisively by asking the Iranian ambassador to leave Kuwait,” Muwaizri told reporters.
Parliament Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi said he preferred to wait for a government statement, but added that he still hoped that Iran is not involved in the issue.
Later on Sunday, the government broke two days of silence but said only that investigations were under way and will be referred to court when they are completed, without providing details or naming Iran.
“Security agencies investigate whatever information they receive, including what has been reported lately,” government spokesman Mohammed Al-Baseeri said in a statement cited by the official KUNA news agency.
“The agencies are completing their investigation and procedures in prelude to referring it to court,” said Baseeri without providing any details. He called local media reports on the issue “inaccurate.”
Tehran’s embassy in Kuwait City strongly denied the reports about a spy cell, saying in a statement that such reports aim to undermine the strong ties between Kuwait and Iran.
Al-Qabas said on Saturday that at least seven members of the alleged cell, some serving in the army and police, had been arrested.
It said they were assigned to monitor Kuwaiti and US military bases and pass the information to the Guards.
The daily said on Sunday that the cell included six Kuwaitis and two bidoon, or stateless Arabs, in the army and that two Lebanese residents of Kuwait played an important role in the cell, with one financing it.
The other Lebanese passed information from the cell to a Revolutionary Guard liaison officer who met cell members in the Iranian cities of Mashhad and Isfahan.
The government should immediately issue its official statement on the alleged busting of the spy network, Al-Khorafi added.
When asked to comment on the issue while speaking to reporters Sunday, Al-Khorafi pointed out it is not proper to comment before the government comes out with its official statement in this regard.
“It is premature to comment on the spy network report. I hope the government will issue a clear statement and explain results of the investigations soon. It is impossible to comment unless the picture is clear. I wish there is no spy network for Iran or any other country in Kuwait. Iran and Kuwait enjoy great relations, so there should not be any cell that will only weaken such ties,” Al-Khorafi opined.
Al-Khorafi believes it would be greatly “appreciated” if the Iranian Interior Ministry denies reports on the spy network, affirming Kuwait’s commitment to maintain good relations with Iran. On the delayed issuance of an official statement from the government, Al-Khorafi said, “I fully support the government in its keenness to verify the reports. I am totally confident that the executive will clarify the issue soon.
“On the request of some MPs to hold a special session to discuss this issue, Al-Khorafi stressed, “I have not received such a request from any MP.”   
On the other hand, the Development and Reform Bloc praised the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry and all the authorities responsible for busting the network. It went on to say the government must not to be lenient and courteous at the expense of Kuwait’s security.
Official spokesperson of the bloc MP Dr Faisal Al-Muslim argued, “The discovery of this network proves our earlier warnings that Kuwait remains to be a target, considering the tense situation in the region and continuous threats from Iran to GCC countries.”
Al-Muslim stressed the need for the government to support the security authorities, so they can play their role to protect Kuwait without any pressure. He admitted he was surprised when the government opted to remain silent over the issue despite Iran’s denial through a senior official who has accused Kuwait of trying to divert attention from the Israeli malpractices in Palestine.
“We have not heard anything from the government until now. No confirmation or denial had been made. It is also surprising that the spokesperson of the government and minister of foreign affairs have not responded to Iran’s accusations against Kuwait,” Al-Muslim lamented. He then demanded a detailed explanation and results of investigations, asserting the bloc will closely monitor the issue until the end.

MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei applauded the efforts of the State Security Department, which busted a spy cell that has allegedly been gathering information on US military bases in Kuwait for Iran. He described the presence of such a cell operating on Kuwait’s land as “disgraceful”.
Al-Tabtabaei said the cell has been operating by hiring citizens and Arabs to provide military information. “This is what we have exactly warned against several times in the past, especially since the Iranian tone has been quite aggressive and implied greediness in the Arab region. It is a disgrace to international ties if a country spies on another,” he added.
He stated Kuwait has more than once affirmed that it would not be a launching pad for missiles targeting Iran as it opposes any war against the Shiite state. “However, such cells might prompt some countries to support the US in taking military action against Iran out of fear of the Iranian activities,” he said.
The Islamist lawmaker also expressed surprise at the absence of an official statement from the Ministry of Interior on busting the spy network, indicating this silence is “improper”. He is also of the view that both the Parliament and government must probe deeper into the issue, in coordination with the parliamentary Interior and Defense Affairs Committee, as this an urgent and highly important matter.

Meanwhile, the Al-Shahed daily quoting knowledgeable sources said two military personnel — one from the Kuwait Navy and the other working for the Air Force and believed to be the members of the cell — are being interrogated in connection with accusations that they spied for Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
The sources added the two men were bedoun and allegedly corrected their situation after obtaining the Iranian nationality. The sources also said the two persons were recruited by an Iranian officer belonging to the Revolutionary Guards.
For its part the Al-Seyassah daily said interrogations have revealed that some Kuwaiti businessmen who embrace the political and religious ideology of Iran were allegedly financing the cell members through a third party in Kuwait.
MP Hussein Al-Qallaf also thanked the security authorities for a job well done and called upon the authorities to spare no efforts to unearth the al-Qaeda and Taleban cells in Kuwait.