Israel has claimed it had uncovered an Iranian network that had allegedly planned to attack a pipeline carrying crude oil from Azerbaijan to the Mediterranean as well as Israeli and Jewish targets in Azerbaijan, Reuters reports.
In a joint statement, the Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence agencies said a plan by Iran’s IRGC to attack the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline through Georgia to Turkiye several weeks ago had been thwarted.
The agencies claimed that the cell had also planned attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets in Azerbaijan, including the Israeli embassy and a synagogue in Baku, as well as leaders of the Jewish community in Azerbaijan.
Members of the cell, who were alleged to be in possession of explosive drones and fragmentation charges, were arrested by Azerbaijani authorities.
It said the cell was led by Rahman Moqadam, who also served as the head of IRGC intelligence’s Special Operations Division and was killed last month during Israeli air strikes.
