In Iran

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has kidnapped many journalists, including Ruhollah Zam, who fled to France and was kidnapped back to Iran for his execution, according to Reporters Without Borders.^[5] Iran has 'kidnapped' the bodies of dead journalists, holding them until relatives deny that the journalists were killed by security forces.^[6]

Activists, especially female activists, have been kidnapped by Iran.^[7] Masih Alinejad was to be the victim of a kidnapping conspiracy.^[8][9][10]

In Saudi Arabia

On November 4, 2017, Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri was allegedly kidnapped by Saudi authorities during a visit to the kingdom. Hariri appeared on live television and announced his resignation as a result of Iranian threats and Iran's export of "devastation and chaos". This unusual announcement was exceptionally surprising to many throughout the Middle East, especially since Hariri had never before expressed such harsh accusations towards Iran - though the Islamic Republic had been heavily involved in Lebanese politics for decades, namely by creating and continuously funding and supporting various organizations such as Hezbollah.

It appears that the Saudi government attempted to use political kidnapping as a means to push the Lebanese state to take an aggressive stance vis à vis the Islamic Republic and to confront it directly, after years of avoiding direct action against Hezbollah terrorists who had effectively taken control over southern Lebanon.^[11]

Methodology

Often, though not exclusively, kidnappers attack while targets are travelling in cars. A car or truck carrying terrorist forces will force the target's car off the road, proceeding to hold them at gunpoint until they surrender. Frequently, cars used are stolen then abandoned, which hampers police investigations.