Major General Alireza Asgari, Iran's former deputy defence minister, is alive and living in the United States under a new identity.

Axar.az reports that this claim was put forward by the "Iran International" channel.

The channel obtained this information anonymously based on interviews with American intelligence and high-ranking European diplomats.

It is reported that Askari has changed his place of residence several times during the 17 years he has been a refugee.

The investigative article also goes into exceptional detail about the critical intelligence he provided to the Americans and the role he played in preventing Washington from going to war against Tehran.