Renowned globally for her research and extremely courageous investigative journalism, Catherine Perez-Shakdam has joined the Blitz team in the capacity of Special Contributor. Her focus will center on addressing pressing issues, with particular emphasis on radical Islam, jihadism, terrorism, and the activities of terrorist groups and their financiers.
Catherine Perez-Shakdam, now part of Blitz as a Special Contributor, holds a prestigious position as a research fellow at the American Centre for Levant Studies. Notably, her professional history encompasses valuable consultancy work for the United Nations Security Council, where her insights into Yemen’s War Economy brought to light a complex network of corruption, trafficking, and money laundering. Her reputable voice has also found platforms in various media outlets, including the Daily Express, the Daily Mail, i24, Al Jazeera, the BBC, The Jerusalem Post, and the Politico.
Having previously served as a Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, Catherine has authored compelling policy recommendations and research papers. These contributions primarily address the growing influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran, shedding light on its activities and providing an in-depth understanding of its operations.
In a notable turn of events in 2021, Catherine gained international attention following the revelation of her decade-long infiltration of the Iranian regime. During this time, she managed to penetrate the highest levels of the regime’s inner circles, earning her the label of an ‘enemy of the state’ by the regime itself. Undaunted by these challenges, Catherine fearlessly utilized her extensive knowledge and expertise to expose the activities of the Islamic Republic, pulling back the curtain on a system veiled in secrecy.
Her revelations have offered a distinct perspective on Iran’s actions, challenging its narrative and uncovering the true nature of its operations.
The Jewish Chronicle in a report titled “How I infiltrated the Tehran regime and met the Ayatollah” gave detailed description about her dangerous journey to Iran and how he succeeded in meeting Iranian Ayatollah by concealing her identity. The report said:
The unmarked car with tinted windows arrived to collect Catherine Perez-Shakdam from her Tehran hotel late in the afternoon.
Dressed from head-to-foot in hijab and abaya, she was ushered into the rear seats between two female members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
She was being taken to meet Iran’s reclusive Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But she harbored a dangerous secret. Unbeknown to her escorts, she was a French-born Jew.
Despite this, on that trip, in February 2017, she had already met several senior regime officials, and been told of a secret IRGC plan to “map” key Jewish figures around the world for Iran’s assassination squads.
Blitz warmly welcomes Catherine Perez-Shakdam to its team.
