Student employee of Foreign Ministry probed for suspected illegal visit to Iran

Israel's Foreign Ministry building in Jerusalem. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Israel's Foreign Ministry building in Jerusalem. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The police and Shin Bet security service are investigating a student employed by the Foreign Ministry on suspicion of illegally visiting Iran.

He is also suspected of coming into contact with Iranian intelligence sources.

The suspect — who has been released from custody — visited Iran before he filled a student position at the Foreign Ministry, The Times of Israel has learned.

“The issue was dealt with by the relevant Israeli authorities,” says the Foreign Ministry.

His lawyers say the trip was for tourism and was not a secret.

“This affair has been blown out of proportion. The suspect is a normal young man,” the attorneys are quoted saying by Channel 12 news.

They add: “As the court ruled, there is no real evidentiary basis for an offense of contact with a foreign agent. There is no reason for the security services to prevent the suspect from meeting his lawyers for 10 days.”

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