Israeli citizen indicted for allegedly being recruited by Iran to kill Netanyahu

Moti Maman was taken to Iran twice to discuss potential operations, Israel's intelligence service said

An image allegedly showing Moti Meman, a 73-year old businessman from Ashkelon, Israel. The image was widely shared on social media platforms but has not been verified. Photo: X

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An Israeli citizen, 73-year-old Moti Maman, has been indicted for allegedly being recruited by Iran to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, or the head of the Shin bet Ronen Bar- Israel’s domestic intelligence service, according to the police and Shin Bet. The suspect was named by Israeli Army Radio GLZ.

Mr Maman, from the southern city of Ashkelon, was arrested in August but indicted on Thursday. He was allegedly tasked with killing one of the senior Israeli officials, the investigation said. The businessman, who worked extensively in Turkey, was smuggled into Iran twice and received payment for meeting Iranian security officials, the police and Shin Bet said.

In April, the suspect, who is Jewish, agreed to visit a businessman called Eddie in Iran, with the help of Turkish citizens Andre Farouk and Jonaid Aslan. He then went to Samandag in Hatay province in Turkey where “he met representatives sent by Eddie and communicated with him via phone after there was difficulty for Eddie to leave Iran,” the police and Shin Bet said.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader and bitter enemy of Israel. Reuters

“In May 2024, he departed for Turkey and there he met Andre, Jonaid and two other representatives of Eddie. After it was again difficult for Eddie to leave Iran, the Israeli citizen was smuggled into Iran through a land border near Van, Turkey. There, he met Eddie and another individual named Hajjah, presented as an Iranian security operative,” the police and Shin Bet added.

During meetings, Mr Maman was offered “to carry out various security missions within Israel for the Iranian regime, including: transferring money or a gun at predetermined points, photographing various crowded places in the country and sending them to Iranian elements, threatening other Israeli citizens activated in the country by the Iranian regime who did not complete requested tasks”.

In August, the accused entered Iran for a second time, this time smuggled over the border in a lorry. He met other Iranian “intelligence agents” who asked him “to carry out terrorist activities for Iran on Israeli soil, including promoting assassination attacks on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, or on Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar”. The Israeli demanded one million USD ahead of any operations, which was denied.

Israel has conducted daring clandestine operations in Iran, including the recent assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Reuters

At a meeting with Iranian officials the day after, they explored the “possibility of him depositing money at points throughout Israel for others, locating Russian and American elements for eliminating opponents of the Iranian regime in Europe and the US, and recruiting a Mossad agent”.

“Before leaving Iranian soil, he received 5,000 euros from Eddie and an Iranian intelligence representative for participating in meetings,” the police and Shin Bet said.