Israeli Missions on Alert in Several Countries Due to ‘Concern Over Iranian Threat’

Israeli media reported on Wednesday evening, October 5, that the Israeli government issued a warning to its embassies and other diplomatic missions in several countries due to “concern over Iranian threat.”

According to the Times of Israel and based on reports from Israel’s Channel 12 television, the warning came after an “alleged plot to attack” an Israeli citizen by “a person linked to Iran” in Cyprus was “discovered” and the individual was arrested.

Israel’s Channel 12 television also reported that besides the main suspect, three Cypriot citizens are considered suspects in connection with the case.

Naftali Bennett, Israel’s Prime Minister, said on Monday this week that it was once again demonstrated that Iran intends to strike Israelis and had plotted to attack an Israeli citizen in Cyprus.

Tedy Sagi, whose roots are from the Republic of Azerbaijan and who made his wealth including through gambling, has denied that he was the target.

On social media, it has been suggested that business rivalries and competition were the motivation of rivals to attempt to attack Tedy Sagi.

The person arrested in connection with the case is also from the Republic of Azerbaijan. Israeli media reported that the suspect is not cooperating adequately with Cypriot police authorities during interrogation.

While Israeli officials continue to insist that the arrested person was linked to Iran, according to the Times of Israel and citing Cypriot media, Cypriot authorities do not believe that Iran is behind this plot.

Cypriot officials are also not convinced that Tedy Sagi was the target, but rather that employees of his gambling software company, whose offices are located in Nicosia, were apparently intended to be the target of the attack.

Nevertheless, the arrested individual, who has been in the custody of Cypriot police since last week, is being interrogated on 12 potential charges, including “terrorist acts.” However, Cypriot police do not confirm reports from Israeli media about three Cypriot citizens being suspects in the matter.

Nicosia Court extended the detention of the suspect, whose name has not been disclosed, for another six days. His lawyer told Israel’s Channel 12 television that the suspicion against his client “is false and he has no connection to Iran.”

Iran’s Embassy in Cyprus said that “the Zionist regime has made false and baseless claims.”

Nevertheless, the Israeli government issued a “security warning” to its embassies and diplomatic missions worldwide.

The last similar “warning” was in early spring this year, which was also due to “concern about retaliatory Iranian actions,” following the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a senior Iranian nuclear program scientist, and another sabotage attributed to Israel at Iranian sites.

Israel claimed that Iran was behind an attempt to plant a bomb in December of last year near the Israeli embassy in New Delhi.

At that time, a small explosive package in a plastic wrapper was found next to a step about 40 meters away from the Israeli embassy, without causing any casualties.

According to reports from some Indian media, Kashmiri Islamist activists on that day, which was India’s national day, were apparently linked to the incident, although an unidentified group called “Jaish al-Hind” also claimed responsibility. Israeli media at that time said that several Iranian citizens were interrogated in connection with the incident.

Iran’s Embassy in India considered the attribution of the incident to the Islamic Republic of Iran as an attempt to damage the country’s reputation and condemned it.

Source: Radio Farda