The intelligence agency for the German state of Hesse reports that Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, and Syria tried to "acquire and distribute" weapons of mass destruction technology using transport routes via "third countries that are not subject to special embargo regulations." According to the report, which covers events in 2019, these countries might have obtained expertise in uranium enrichment and biological and chemical processes by exploiting research and academic cooperation. The report also alleges that China, Iran, and Russia might have conducted cyber operations targeting financial institutions in the city of Frankfurt. According to the report, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and an intelligence service run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remain active in Germany.