Behind The Veil Of Deception: Catherine Perez-Shakdam

By Dr Naim Tahir Baig

            In " Behind The Veil Of Deception: Catherine Perez-Shakdam," Dr. Naim Tahir Baig presents the most extraordinary case of modern infiltration and identity transformation in contemporary Middle Eastern politics. This meticulously researched biography chronicles the remarkable life of Catherine Perez-Shakdam, a French-born Jewish intellectual who successfully penetrated the highest levels of the Iranian regime while concealing her true identity for over a decade.

            Born into a secular Jewish family in France, Catherine's early life was shaped by the intergenerational trauma of Holocaust survival and resistance. Her paternal grandfather survived Nazi concentration camps in Tunisia, while her maternal grandfather fought with the French Resistance. These contrasting legacies of survival and resistance would profoundly influence Catherine's approach to navigating hostile environments and her ultimate decision to undertake one of the most audacious intelligence operations of the modern era.

            The book details Catherine's complex journey through multiple identities: her academic excellence at the University of London, her marriage to a Yemeni Muslim, her apparent conversion to Shia Islam, and her gradual emergence as a trusted voice within Iranian media circles. Through exhaustive research and unprecedented access to primary sources, Dr. Baig reveals how Catherine gained extraordinary access to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, future President Ebrahim Raisi, and senior Revolutionary Guard officials, all while gathering crucial intelligence about Iranian plans to target Jewish diaspora communities worldwide.

            This book transcends the conventional spy thriller genre by examining the profound philosophical and ethical questions raised by Catherine's story. Dr. Baig explores the fluidity of religious and cultural identity in the modern world, the complex relationship between authentic conversion and strategic performance, and the moral calculations individuals make when confronted with perceived existential threats to their communities. The work also provides crucial insights into Iranian regime operations, recruitment methods, and the sophisticated propaganda networks that extend far beyond Iran's borders.

            Drawing on extensive interviews, archived materials, and previously disclosed documents, Dr. Baig presents a balanced analysis that neither condemns nor celebrates Catherine's actions, but rather seeks to understand them within the broader context of Middle Eastern geopolitics, intelligence operations, and human psychology. The book raises important questions about the nature of loyalty, the ethics of deception in journalism, and the boundaries between legitimate intelligence gathering and personal betrayal.

            "Behind the Veil of Deception" is essential reading for scholars of international relations, intelligence studies, Middle Eastern politics, and religious conversion. It offers unprecedented insights into the internal workings of the Iranian regime while providing a nuanced examination of one woman's extraordinary journey through the complex landscape of modern identity, faith, and political allegiance. This definitive account establishes Catherine Perez-Shakdam's story as one of the most significant intelligence narratives of the twenty-first century.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr Naim Tahir Baig
• Release date: Jun 21, 2025
• ISBN: 9798231077359

Dr Naim Tahir Baig

Dr. Naim Tahir Baig can be described as a Political Analyst, Geopolitical Strategist, Military and Security Studies Expert, Intelligence and Espionage Scholar, Social Commentator, Philosopher of Contemporary Issues, Digital Economy Specialist, Islamic Scholar and Interfaith Commentator, Poet and Literary Author, Regional Studies Expert, Multidisciplinary Intellectual, and Pakistan-Centric Analyst, reflecting his diverse expertise across politics, geopolitics, military strategy, intelligence, social commentary, business, religion, literature, and regional studies. Published Books of Dr. Naim Tahir Baig   Learn AI Fast: A Practical Guide for Busy Professionals Nuclear Orbits: From Soviet Satellites to Russian Space Power Trump vs. Putin: The Secrets Of Alaska Summit 2025 Nuclear Weapons in Space Trump's Siege on the Fed: Politics, Power, and the Fracturing of Global Finance The Great Realignment The Last Rock's Secret War: Okinotorishima The New American Empire In 2025 Fractured Faith: The Ken Paxton Divorce Scandal and the Crisis of Conservative Authenticity The Boomer Blockade: How an Aging Generation is Reshaping Global Power and Economics at Younger Generations' Expense Kiss Cam Crisis GAZA: The word 'ETHICS' is at stake Tarifaço: Trump's Tariff Assault on Brazil and the Battle for Hemispheric Power Love Seized Why Pakistan Can't Be Ignored ? Abandoning UNESCO, Abandoning America's Global Leadership Knowledge at the Cost of Drinking Water Artificial Intelligence Reshapes Nations' Strategic Cultures America Party Geopolitical Realignments And U.S. Decline Echoes of Love After Life After The Break-up Mental Health and Digital Wellness: Navigating the Hyper-Connected World Shadow War 2025: Israel's Secret Army Inside Iran Operation True Promise 3 2nd Edition: Operation Rising Lion: Israel's Strike Against Iran's Nuclear Program Behind The Veil Of Deception: Catherine Perez-Shakdam Operation Rising Lion 2025: Israel's Strike on Iran's Nuclear Program

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Behind The Veil Of Deception: Catherine Perez-Shakdam

The Hidden Journey of Catherine Perez-Shakdam

Dr Naim Tahir Baig

Copyright © June 2025 Dr. Naim Tahir Baig

Behind The Veil Of Deception: Catherine Perez-Shakdam

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Dr. Naim Tahir Baig

Cell/ WhatsApp no. :[phone]

email: [e-mail]

First Edition: June 2025

The information and views set out in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of any institution or organization. Neither the publisher nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.

This work is humbly

DEDICATED TO THE SEEKER OF THE TRUTH

May truth illuminate the path to understanding,

and may wisdom prevail over deception

in all matters of faith and governance

In the vast tapestry of human experience, we find that identity is not a fixed star, but a constellation that shifts with the observer's position. The story of Catherine Perez-Shakdam reminds us that in our pursuit of truth, we must sometimes navigate through veils of our own making—and that the greatest revelations often come from those who have walked in worlds not meant for them.

— Dr. Naim Tahir Baig

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

Preface

Prologue: The French Jewish Journalist Who Infiltrated Iran's Inner Circle

Chapter 1: A French Jewish Childhood

Chapter 2: Academic Pursuits and First Encounters

Chapter 3: Marriage and Conversion

Chapter 4: Life in Yemen - The Awakening

Chapter 5: From Sunni to Shia - A Spiritual Revolution

Chapter 6: The Journalist Emerges

Chapter 7: Gaining Tehran's Trust

Chapter 8: Writing for the Regime

Chapter 9: Multiple Trips to Iran - The Deep Infiltration

Chapter 10: The Raisi Interview - A Revelation of Intent

Chapter 11: Audience with the Supreme Leader

Chapter 12: The Divorce and Internal Awakening

Chapter 13: The Decision to Come Forward

Chapter 14: Coming Out as a Zionist

Chapter 15: The Firestorm

Chapter 16: Setting the Record Straight

Chapter 17: A New Mission

Chapter 18: Reflections on France and Anti-Semitism

Chapter 19: The Complex Legacy of Identity

EPILOGUE: The Woman Behind the Masks

APPENDICES

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

About The Author

Preface

By Dr. Naim Tahir Baig

In my decades of research into Middle Eastern security dynamics and intelligence failures, I have observed how even the most paranoid and sophisticated authoritarian regimes can fall victim to their own ideological blind spots. The extraordinary case of Catherine Perez-Shakdam—a French Jewish woman who successfully penetrated the highest levels of the Islamic Republic of Iran—represents perhaps the most spectacular intelligence security failure in modern Iranian history, and offers profound lessons about the vulnerabilities inherent in ideologically-driven state systems.

As a scholar who has extensively analyzed Iran's post-revolutionary development and the philosophical underpinnings of the Islamic Republic, I find myself both fascinated and deeply concerned by the systematic security failures that enabled this unprecedented penetration. The fact that a Jewish journalist could write for Ayatollah Khamenei's personal website, meet privately with the Supreme Leader himself, and gain access to sensitive operational planning regarding diaspora targeting represents not merely an individual intelligence coup, but a fundamental breakdown in Iran's security architecture.

The Anatomy of Institutional Failure

The Iranian regime's security apparatus, built upon decades of revolutionary paranoia and sophisticated counterintelligence capabilities, failed at multiple critical junctures in the Perez-Shakdam case. This failure illuminates several structural weaknesses that extend far beyond this single incident:

IdeologicalOverconfidence: The regime's absolute certainty in its worldview created dangerous blind spots. Officials assumed that anyone writing supportively about their cause, particularly a Western convert to Islam, must be genuine. Their antisemitic ideology prevented them from conceiving that a Jewish woman could successfully masquerade as their ally for years.

Compartmentalization Failures: Despite Iran's reputation for operational security, the ease with which Perez-Shakdam moved between different regime circles—from media outlets to IRGC officials to the Supreme Leader's inner circle—suggests catastrophic failures in security compartmentalization and background verification procedures.

Human Intelligence Vulnerabilities: The regime's reliance on personal relationships and ideological affinity, rather than rigorous security protocols, created exploitable vulnerabilities. Perez-Shakdam's cultivation by propagandist Nader Talebzadeh demonstrates how a single compromised or careless official can provide access to an entire intelligence network.

Technological and Procedural Gaps: The fact that Iranian officials apparently never conducted thorough background investigations on someone contributing to the Supreme Leader's website reveals stunning procedural inadequacies. Basic counterintelligence protocols would have revealed inconsistencies in her background and motivations.

Strategic Implications of Security Failure

The Perez-Shakdam penetration exposed Iran's most sensitive strategic planning to Western intelligence services. Her claims about Iranian mapping of Jewish diaspora communities for potential targeting—if accurate—represent exactly the kind of operational intelligence that adversaries desperately seek. The regime's subsequent panic, evidenced by the wholesale deletion of her articles and frantic denials from officials, confirms the severity of the security breach.

More fundamentally, this case demonstrates how authoritarian regimes' greatest strength—ideological coherence—can become their greatest vulnerability. The Islamic Republic's revolutionary ideology, which has sustained it through decades of international isolation and internal challenges, created the very blind spots that enabled this penetration. Officials were so convinced of their cause's righteousness that they failed to maintain elementary security discipline.

Lessons for Intelligence and Security Studies

From an academic perspective, the Perez-Shakdam case offers valuable insights into several critical areas:

Regime Vulnerability Assessment: Even the most closed societies remain penetrable through sophisticated human intelligence operations that exploit ideological assumptions and institutional weaknesses.

Identity and Deception in Intelligence: The case demonstrates how fluid identity construction in the modern world creates new opportunities for intelligence penetration, particularly against regimes with rigid ideological frameworks.

Counterintelligence Failures: The systematic breakdown of Iranian security procedures provides a detailed case study in how institutional overconfidence and ideological bias can compromise even sophisticated security apparatus.

Information Warfare Dynamics: The regime's use of foreign sympathizers for propaganda purposes created exploitable channels that clever adversaries could reverse-engineer for intelligence gathering.

The Broader Security Environment

This penetration occurred within a broader context of Iranian security failures that should concern both the regime and its adversaries. The assassination of nuclear scientists, the Stuxnet cyber attack, the elimination of IRGC commanders, and now this unprecedented human intelligence penetration suggest systemic vulnerabilities in Iran's security architecture.

For regional powers and Western policymakers, these failures provide both opportunities and warnings. While Iran's security vulnerabilities offer tactical advantages, they also create unpredictable dynamics that could lead to dangerous escalations as the regime becomes increasingly paranoid and reactive.

The Human Element

Perhaps most significantly, this case reminds us that in an age of cyber warfare and technological sophistication, human intelligence remains paramount. Catherine Perez-Shakdam's success relied not on advanced technology or massive resources, but on psychological insight, cultural adaptability, and extraordinary personal courage. Her ability to maintain multiple identities while gathering crucial intelligence demonstrates that individual human capabilities can still triumph over institutional security measures.

The moral dimensions of her transformation—from someone fleeing Jewish identity to someone willing to risk everything to protect Jewish communities—adds profound human complexity to what might otherwise be viewed as merely a technical intelligence operation.

Implications for Regional Security

As someone who has extensively studied the security dynamics between India and Pakistan in the post-Cold War era, I recognize how intelligence failures by one regional power inevitably affect the broader strategic balance. Iran's demonstrated vulnerabilities to human intelligence penetration will likely prompt enhanced security cooperation among its adversaries while forcing painful internal security reforms that may further isolate the regime from international engagement.

The revelation of Iran's alleged diaspora targeting plans, exposed through this security failure, will undoubtedly influence international policy toward the Islamic Republic and may justify enhanced protective measures for vulnerable communities worldwide.

Conclusion

The story presented in this volume serves as both a remarkable tale of individual courage and a sobering analysis of institutional security failure. For intelligence professionals, it provides a masterclass in both penetration techniques and counterintelligence vulnerabilities. For policymakers, it offers crucial insights into Iranian regime weaknesses and operational methods. For scholars, it represents an invaluable primary source on one of the most significant intelligence operations of our time.

Iran's failure to protect its most sensitive secrets from a single determined individual exposes fundamental weaknesses that extend far beyond this particular case. As the Islamic Republic faces mounting internal and external pressures, these security vulnerabilities may prove increasingly consequential for regional stability and international security.

The courage of all involved in bringing this story to light—from Catherine Perez-Shakdam herself to the authors who have documented her extraordinary journey—serves the cause of both historical truth and contemporary security awareness.

Dr. Naim Tahir Baig

Author of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, Can Russia Help Pakistan Grow? and The Changing Security Dynamics Shaped The Power Imbalance Between India And Pakistan In The Post-Cold War Era

June 2025

Prologue: The French Jewish Journalist Who Infiltrated Iran's Inner Circle

In November 2021, a blog post published on The Times of Israel's platform would ignite a media firestorm across the Middle East. The author, Catherine Perez-Shakdam, had done something extraordinary and dangerous: she had publicly revealed her true identity after years of successfully infiltrating some of the most secretive corridors of power in Tehran.

Born into a secular Jewish family in France, with a maternal grandfather who fought Nazis during the occupation and a paternal grandfather who was a Holocaust survivor, Catherine Perez-Shakdam had managed to accomplish what intelligence agencies could only dream of. For years, she had moved freely through the highest echelons of the Iranian regime, writing for the Supreme Leader's official website, appearing regularly on state television, and gaining unprecedented access to senior officials—all while concealing her Jewish heritage.

In 2017, Catherine was the only Western media personality to have been granted an interview with Ebrahim Raisi, who would later become Iran's president. Working as a journalist for the Russia-supported RT news outlet, which was trusted by the Iranians, she gained access to Iran's leadership, including meetings with Ayatollah Khamenei. During these encounters, she learned of what she described as Iranian plans to monitor and harm Jewish communities worldwide.

The woman who had once written articles with headlines declaring Zionists are planning to annihilate Islam for Iranian state media in 2014 was, in fact, of Jewish heritage herself. Her transformation from an apparent regime sympathizer to a vocal advocate for Israel and critic of Iranian extremism represents one of the most remarkable stories of identity, deception, and moral awakening in modern geopolitical history.

Catherine's French nationality and marriage to a Muslim man from Yemen provided her with what she later described as a free pass to many Islamic countries. During her marriage, which lasted ten years and included four years living in Yemen, she experienced firsthand the anti-Semitism that would later inform her understanding of regional dynamics. When I first got married, everyone was very welcoming, but then they started making nasty comments and belittling me, she recalled.

Her academic credentials—a bachelor's degree in Psychology and two Master's degrees in finance and communications from University of London—combined with her personal circumstances, created the perfect cover for what would become an unprecedented infiltration operation. As a former consultant for the United Nations Security Council on Yemen's War Economy, her research was instrumental in better understanding Yemen's political landscape and actors' financial networks.

Between 2015 and 2017, she contributed articles and opinion pieces on issues related to Islam and the Islamic Revolution to Khamenei's official website. Iranian state-run media such as Press TV and the national broadcaster interviewed her regularly, introducing her as a political analyst and author based in London, while Tasnim and Mehr news agencies published her articles.

The revelation of her true identity created immediate chaos within Iranian media circles. Iranian media quickly declared her an Israeli Mossad spy, and broadcasters who had been spotted with her were forced to issue clarifications. Iranian chief cleric Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office quickly disavowed any connection with her. Many of her media appearances and articles were wiped from state websites.

A Telegram channel run by supporters of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed she had 'infiltrated' Iranian media and regularly contributed to Khamenei's English-language website. The allegations sparked intense debate within Iranian political circles, with various officials denying any substantial contact with her.

Catherine herself has consistently denied working as a spy, though she acknowledges her intelligence background. She dismisses the espionage allegations as nonsense, stating: I was really in the club. I was on television all the time. I think I've written for every media outlet they have, and I met quite a few people.

Currently serving as the head of the advocacy group We Believe in Israel, succeeding Luke Akehurst who was elected as Labour MP for Durham North, Catherine has transformed her insider knowledge into a platform for combating what she sees as Iranian extremism and anti-Semitism. She joined the Henry Jackson Society in June 2022 as a Research Fellow for the New Middle East Centre, having previously worked at the Next Century Foundation (UK) and the Bayan Centre for Planning and Strategic Studies (Iraq).

Her story raises profound questions about identity, deception, and the moral complexities of intelligence gathering in the modern world. It is the tale of a woman who, through a combination of personal circumstances, academic credentials, and extraordinary nerve, managed to penetrate one of the world's most secretive and hostile regimes—and lived to tell about it.

This is the story of Catherine Perez-Shakdam, the French Jewish woman who walked into the heart of the Islamic Republic of Iran and emerged to warn the world of what she found there.

---

Sources and References

Primary Sources:

Perez-Shakdam, Catherine. I'm no Mossad spy, says Jewish journalist who interviewed Raisi, worked for Iran TV. The Times of Israel, March 8, 2022. https://www.timesofisrael.com/im-no-mossad-spy-says-jewish-journalist-who-interviewed-raisi-worked-for-iran-tv/

Catherine Perez-Shakdam Infiltrated the Iranian Regime and Met the Ayatollah. Ami Magazine, March 1, 2023. https://amimagazine.org/2023/03/01/catherine-perez-shakdam-infiltrated-the-iranian-regime-and-met-the-ayatollah/

Journalist who infiltrated the Tehran regime is new head of We Believe in Israel. The Jewish Chronicle, July 18, 2024. https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/former-muslim-who-infiltrated-the-tehran-regime-is-new-head-of-we-believe-in-israel-y2wvqhpi

Iranian Officials Deny Ties With 'Infiltrator' Jewish Female. Iran International, March 7, 2022. https://www.iranintl.com/en/202203079467

Khamenei's Website Denies Infiltration By French-Jewish Journalist. Iran International, February 28, 2022. https://www.iranintl.com/en/202202280633

Catherine Perez-Shakdam. The Times of Israel blog platform. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/catherine-perez-shakdam/

Written Evidence from Catherine Perez-Shakdam (IEF0035). UK Parliament Committees, 2022. https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/111826/html/

Catherine Perez-Shakdam. Wikipedia, accessed December 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Perez-Shakdam

Catherine Perez-Shakdam profile. The Jerusalem Post. https://www.jpost.com/author/catherine-perez-shakdam

Blitz welcomes Catherine Perez-Shakdam as Special Contributor. BLiTZ, October 24, 2023. https://weeklyblitz.net/2023/10/24/blitz-welcomes-catherine-perez-shakdam-as-special-contributor/

Catherine Perez-Shakdam profile. Henry Jackson Society. https://henryjacksonsociety.org/staff/catherine-perez-shakdam/

Catherine Perez-Shakdam profile. Forum for Foreign Relations. https://forumforforeignrelations.org/catherine-perez-shakdam

Archived Materials:

Iranian state media articles by Catherine Perez-Shakdam (archived via Internet Archive, 2015-2017)

Press TV interviews featuring Catherine Perez-Shakdam (2016-2018, archived)

Official Statements:

Fars News Agency statement denying regular collaboration with Perez-Shakdam, February 2022

Khamenei.ir official denial of ongoing relationship with Perez-Shakdam, February 2022

Academic and Think Tank Publications:

Henry Jackson Society research papers authored by Catherine Perez-Shakdam (2022-2024)

UN Security Council consultation work on Yemen's War Economy (2016-2017)

Chapter 1: A French Jewish Childhood

The Weight of History

In the quiet suburbs near Versailles, where manicured gardens and centuries-old architecture speak to France's grand history, Catherine Perez-Shakdam spent her formative years carrying the invisible weight of two grandfathers' experiences during the darkest period of the twentieth century. Born into what she would later describe as a secular Jewish family in France, Catherine's childhood was shaped by the profound trauma that had fractured her family across generations—trauma that would influence every major decision in her extraordinary life.

The story of Catherine's origins begins not in France, but in the tumultuous landscape of 1930s Spain and Tunisia. Her paternal grandfather, Eli Perez, was a doctor who became a Communist in Spain during the 1930s, placing him directly in Franco's