New Details and Photos Released of Iran’s ‘Terrorist Plot’ in Istanbul
Four weeks after the revelation of a foiled ‘terrorist attack’ plot designed by the Islamic Republic against Israeli citizens in Turkey, Turkish media outlets continue to release additional information and reports about this plan.
Turkish newspaper Sabah reported on Sunday, July 10, on how the security forces of the country prevented the implementation of this ‘terrorist plot’ and released images for the first time of the neutralization operation.
The newspaper stated that members of the Islamic Republic’s ‘assassination group’ were based at the hotel where Yossi Levi Sferi, former Israeli consul general in Istanbul, was staying in the Beyoğlu district of the city.
Israeli media outlets previously reported that Yossi Levi Sferi’s trip to Turkey was a private visit and he spent several days in Istanbul with his life partner, Ronni Goldberg. The couple has not yet responded to reports about the assassination plot against them.
According to Sabah newspaper’s report, these individuals initially intended to kidnap the former Israeli consul general and kill him, and then attack Israeli tourists in Turkey.
For the first time, Israeli television network Kan reported on Sunday, June 12, that the country’s security forces had foiled Iran’s attempts to attack Israeli targets in Turkey.
A few days later, Turkish media outlets reported the arrest of members of an eight-person group and confirmed that the Islamic Republic had intended to assassinate Israeli tourists in Istanbul.
According to Sabah newspaper’s report, Turkish security forces, who had been previously informed of the assassination plot, changed the accommodation location of Israeli tourists without the assassination team becoming aware of it.
The report adds, citing statements from hotel staff, that the Israeli group was concerned after learning of the plot through Turkish security forces, but the hotel manager told them: “This is Turkey and no harm will come to you whatsoever.”
Previously, Naftali Bennett, former Israeli Prime Minister, thanked the security forces of both Israel and Turkey in a statement after the news of the foiled ‘terrorist plot’ was released.
The Iranian government, however, rejected Israel’s claims, and the Foreign Ministry spokesman also called the accusation of Iran designing an operation to assassinate Israeli tourists a ‘psychological operation’ on July 3, accusing Israel of wanting to ‘damage relations between two Muslim countries.’
The revelation of the foiled plot came after the Islamic Republic announced it would avenge the killing of Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a senior member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Iran and Israel have been engaged in longstanding conflicts that experts call a ‘shadow war.’
Long-standing tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated following attacks on facilities and individuals involved in the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, which Tehran blames Israel for.
Source: Radio Farda
