An Ashkelon resident was allegedly recruited by Tehran to help assassinate Israeli politicians

A Jewish man has been arrested for allegedly participating in an Iranian plot to assassinate top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli authorities have said.

Israeli citizen Moti Maman, 73, was arrested last month, but police and Israel’s security agency Shin Bet made the details of the case public on Thursday. According to investigators, Maman, a resident of Ashkelon, traveled to Iran twice and accepted money to act as an Iranian agent.

Maman had lived a long time in Türkiye and had business and social connections to Turkish and Iranian nationals, the authorities said. Through two of his Turkish contacts, he agreed to meet a “businessman living in Iran named Eddy” in April, Shin Bet said. Maman eventually traveled to Iran where he allegedly met with Iranian security officials.

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From that point on, Maman was allegedly offered assignments such as placing money and weapons at specified locations, gathering intelligence, and contacting other Israeli citizens, Shin Bet said.

In August, Maman traveled to Iran for a second time, where he was told to “advance assassination attacks” on Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, the security agency said.

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According to Shin Bet, Maman demanded $1 million in advance for his participation, which the Iranian intelligence rejected. However, he allegedly accepted €5,000 for attending the meetings.

Maman’s lawyer has said that his client had made an “error in judgment in the context of his business,” and noted that he had already greatly assisted the Israeli security services.

Israel and Iran have repeatedly accused each other of orchestrating murders on each other’s territory. Most recently, Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated when visiting Tehran in July. The Islamic Republic has blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s death. Israel, however, neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.