From Israeli recruited by Iran in plot to assassinate PM, defense minister or Shin Bet head, authorities say
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
An Israeli civilian was arrested last month for allegedly being recruited by Iran to assassinate Israel’s prime minister, defense minister, or the head of the Shin Bet.
The Shin Bet and Police say in a joint statement that the suspect was smuggled into Iran twice and received payment to carry out the missions.
The suspect, who was not named, was indicted today.
According to the Shin Bet and police investigation, the Jewish Israeli civilian was a businessman who lived for lengthy periods in Turkey, where he had business and social relations with Turkish and Iranian nationals.
In April 2024, the suspect agreed, through the mediation of two Turkish people, Andrey Farouk Aslan and Junayd Aslan, to meet with a rich businessman living in Iran named Eddy, to advance business activity, the Shin Bet says.
The suspect traveled to the Turkish city of Samandag, close to Syria, and met with two representatives sent by the Iranian businessman, according to the Shin Bet. In Samandag, the Israeli suspect and the Iranian held a phone call, after the latter was unable to leave Iran.
In May 2024, the Shin Bet says that the suspect traveled to Turkey to meet with Andrey, Junayd, and Eddy’s two representatives.
After the Iranian businessman was apparently again unable to leave Iran and travel to Turkey, the Israeli man was smuggled into Iran via a land crossing near the eastern Turkish city of Van, the security agency says.
Inside Iran, the Israeli man met with Eddy and another person called Khwaja, who presented himself as a member of Iran’s security forces. The Israeli suspect also presented himself as an Israeli citizen during a meeting at Eddy’s house in Iran, according to the investigation.
During that meeting, Eddy suggested to the Israeli suspect that they carry out various missions in Israel for the Iranian regime, including sending money or a handgun to specified locations, taking photos of crowded public areas, and threatening Israeli civilians who are also operating on behalf of Iran and did not carry out their missions, the Shin Bet found.
The Israeli suspect said he would look into it, and in August 2024, returned to Iran. He was smuggled into Iran via a land crossing, hidden inside a truck, according to the investigation.
The security agency says that at Eddy’s house, the Israeli man met with Iranian intelligence officials, who asked him to “advance assassination attacks” on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, or Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, or Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.
The Iranian intelligence officials also looked into the possibility of assassinating other senior officials, including former prime minister Naftali Bennett, according to the investigation.
The Shin Bet says the assassination plans were seen by the Iranian officials as revenge for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, which has been attributed to Israel.
According to the investigation, the Israeli man asked for $1 million upfront before carrying out any of the tasks.
The following day, the Israeli suspect met again with the Iranian intelligence officials, where they again discussed the assassination plans of senior Israeli officials, the Shin Bet says.
During that meeting, according to the investigation, it was also suggested that the Israeli man place money at various locations in Israel for others who are being operated by Iran. Other plans suggested in the meeting were for the Israeli man to locate Russian or Americans and task them with assassinating Iranian dissidents in Europe and the US, and to recruit a Mossad member as a double agent.
Also in this meeting, the Israeli man demanded a million dollars in advance, but the Iranian intelligence agents denied his request and said they would contact him in the future, the Shin Bet says.
According to the investigation, before leaving Iran for the second time, the Israeli man was given 5,000 euros by one of the Iranian intelligence agents for participating in the meetings.
