During a visit to Azerbaijan aimed at bolstering an alliance against the Iranian threat, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant revealed that Iran has orchestrated over 50 acts of terrorism targeting Jewish communities worldwide in recent years.
“By order of the supreme leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei], in recent years, Iran has led an unprecedented global campaign of terror focused on Israelis and other Jews across the globe,” Gallant said. “There have been more than 50 attempts in recent years, the majority of which already got to the point of being ready to be carried out but were thwarted at the last minute.”
The plots were thwarted “by virtue of our defense establishment and by virtue of tight cooperation with many foreign countries and by virtue of the understanding that Iran constitutes a threat to the world,” he said.
In addition to its ongoing endeavors to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and impede Tehran’s weapons smuggling activities to its proxies situated on Israel’s borders, Israel remains steadfast in its campaign to counteract the global terrorism orchestrated by the ayatollahs.
These statements were made by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant following his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku. The meeting took place amidst the backdrop of a recent attempted terrorist attack on Israel’s embassy in Azerbaijan, which was believed to be inspired by Iran. Furthermore, the Islamic Republic’s progress towards attaining a nuclear weapon has raised concerns.
Iran’s mutual threat to Azerbaijan and Israel
Azerbaijan holds a distinctive and significant position in relation to Tehran, not only due to its recent revelation of thwarting an Iranian-inspired terrorist attack on the Israeli Embassy by an Afghan individual but also because it shares a border with Iran.
In the past, various international media outlets have reported on Israeli intelligence forces leveraging the porous Iran-Azerbaijan border for conducting operations targeting the nuclear program and other objectives.
In a statement, Gallant confirmed that during their meeting, he and President Aliyev engaged in discussions regarding regional developments and explored avenues for jointly strengthening strategic ties to address shared security challenges. They expressed their mutual commitment to enhancing technological cooperation as well.
It is worth noting that Gallant and Aliyev had previously met at the Munich Security Conference five months ago.
Before departing from Israel on Wednesday night, Gallant emphasized the significance of the visit, stating, “The visit comes at a moment that is saturated with security challenges. I will present in a precise way before the Azeris the danger to the world of an Iranian nuclear weapon. I will enumerate to them the dangerous activities Iran is undertaking on Israel’s borders, is attempting within Israel, and is attempting throughout the Middle East.”
In addition to meeting President Aliyev, Gallant also held discussions with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Zakir Hasanov, as well as other officials within Azerbaijan’s defense establishment, including the head of the country’s State Border Service, Elchin Guliyev.
After meeting with Hasanov, Gallant told him at a press conference: “I want to thank you, Minister Hasanov, for hosting this event at your Defense Ministry, which is very important and substantial for me. I want to thank you for your leadership and vision. The relations between our states are based on the positive history of the Jewish people and the Azeri people along with joint interests.”
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Azerbaijani Security Thwarts Plot on Israeli Embassy
On Monday, Azerbaijan’s State Security Service announced the arrest of Fawzan Mosa Khan, an Afghan citizen, suspected of plotting a terrorist attack on the embassy of a third country in Baku. The State Security Service released a video showing Khan discussing his plans and monitoring the target location.
Initially, the State Security Service did not disclose the specific embassy being targeted but indicated that surveillance was being conducted around the Hyatt Regency hotel complex, where the Israeli Embassy is situated. Later reports confirmed that the Israeli Embassy was the intended target.
Subsequent foreign reports suggested potential involvement of the Mossad in assisting Azerbaijan in foiling the terrorist plot. However, Israel has been cautious in maintaining a low profile regarding its alleged activities of the intelligence agency in Azerbaijan, particularly compared to its assistance to Europe or Turkey. Israel has refrained from making any official comments on the matter.
Azerbaijan and Israel have strong ties, including arms sales from Israel to Azerbaijan. Earlier this year, Azerbaijan inaugurated its embassy in Tel Aviv. These close relations have drawn criticism from Iran in recent years. Azerbaijan has repeatedly claimed to have uncovered Iran-backed cells planning attacks within the country, including coup attempts aimed at establishing a state governed by Sharia law in Azerbaijan.
