‘The Iranians have come to Bat Yam, and it’s no joke’: Mayor warns against spying for Tehran

Bat Yam’s mayor calls on the city’s residents to refrain from spying for Iran in a video message, in light of the Islamic Republic’s ongoing and intensifying efforts to recruit Israelis into espionage activities.

In a short clip released Tuesday night, Mayor Tzvika Brot says the municipality is working with the Shin Bet to fight the burgeoning phenomenon and is already aware of several residents with ties to Iranian agents.

“The Iranians have come to Bat Yam, and it’s no joke,” he says.

“We have recently been in contact with security officials, particularly the Shin Bet, regarding the possibility that our residents will fall into the espionage network and collaborate with them [Iranian agents], in the wake of all the messages they sent to our phones,” he says. “We are aware that there are also Bat Yam residents who are currently maintaining these connections.”

Though Israel’s homegrown spies for Iran come from a range of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, Iranian agents have been known to target Israelis from the former Soviet Union, who also happen to comprise a large segment of Bat Yam’s population.

Brot cautions residents against fostering ties with Iranian agents, saying they “endanger not only Israel’s security, but their own personal future.”

“These are very serious offenses and anyone who is arrested by the Shin Bet will cause themselves irreversible harm,” he says. He urges anyone who has come into contact with Iranian agents or knows people who have to confess.

“If you, family members, or friends have responded to one of these requests, conversed with the Iranians, or maybe even carried out various tasks already, don’t wait until they come knocking on your door. It is probably not too late to reach out to us, and we can try together with security officials to turn the clock back,” he says.