By MATTHEW LEE and DAVID KLEPPER
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mexican authorities with help from the USA and Israeli intelligence businesses thwarted an alleged plot by Iran to assassinate the Israeli ambassador to Mexico, Israeli and U.S. officers mentioned Friday. Mexican authorities denied any information of such a plot.
The plot to kill Ambassador Einat Kranz Neiger is alleged to have been hatched on the finish of final yr and remained lively by means of the center of this yr, when it was disrupted, the U.S. officers mentioned.
The officers, talking on situation of anonymity as a result of delicate nature of the intelligence, mentioned the plot was “contained” and doesn’t pose a present menace.
They didn’t supply particulars on how the plot was found or damaged up. Iran’s mission to the U.N. mentioned it had no remark.
“We thank the safety and legislation enforcement companies in Mexico for thwarting a terrorist community directed by Iran that sought to assault Israel’s ambassador in Mexico,” the Israeli International Ministry mentioned in an announcement. “The Israeli safety and intelligence group will proceed to work tirelessly, in full cooperation with safety and intelligence businesses around the globe, to thwart terrorist threats from Iran and its proxies towards Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide.”
Mexico’s international relations and safety ministries issued a short joint assertion late Friday saying that “they don’t have any report with respect to a supposed try towards the ambassador of Israel in Mexico.”
The international ministry “reiterates its willingness to keep up fluid communication with all accredited diplomatic representations in our nation,” the assertion mentioned. The safety ministry “reaffirms its respectful and coordinated collaboration, at all times inside the framework of nationwide sovereignty, with all safety businesses that request it.”
The State Division had no rapid clarification for Mexico’s assertion. It mentioned, “Iran’s worldwide abhorrent plots, aimed toward its personal residents, Individuals, and residents of different nations are inconsistent with the conduct of a civilized state.”
“The US is working with likeminded governments to share finest practices and menace info, increase consciousness in regards to the subject of Iran’s deadly plots, work collectively to counter these threats, and maintain perpetrators accountable,” the division mentioned.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Mexico mentioned in response to the Mexican authorities’ assertion that it could not have any remark.
In response to intelligence paperwork from one of many U.S. officers, an officer within the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps named Hasan Izadi, who additionally goes by the title Masood Rahnema, initiated the plot together with different Iranian officers whereas serving as an aide to Iran’s ambassador to Venezuela.
The US has lengthy accused Iran of looking for to assassinate present and former U.S. officers in addition to Israelis, together with on U.S. soil.
AP writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Farnoush Amiri on the United Nations and Fabiola Sánchez in Mexico Metropolis contributed to this report.
