Catherine Perez-Shakdam; Shia Muslim essayist or spion?

Catherine Perez-Shakdam was until a few weeks ago assumed to be a Shia Muslim journalist-essayist. She was specifically in the centre of the attention of Iranian media outlets and the conservative ones in particular. However, she presented a quite different portrait of herself when she published an article in The Times of Israel a few months ago. She says: "I was so keen to find my way into the inner circle of the ruling elite that I did not reveal my real motivation." What was her real motivation?