Two Israeli agencies – Israel’s internal security agency Shin Bet and the Mossad spy agency – made accusations against Iran on April 12 , claiming that Iranian officials are using fake Instagram accounts to lure Israelis to meetings abroad, with the aim of harming or kidnapping them .
These allegations came just hours after Tehran vowed to avenge the attack that took place at one of its most important nuclear facilities in Natanz, for which it blames Israel.
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Shin Bet and Mossad have uncovered a method by which Iranian officials use fake Instagram profiles, posing as women supposedly involved in business and tourism, to target Israelis.
“Through these profiles, they come into contact with Israeli citizens, plan romantic or business meetings with them abroad (…) in order to harm or kidnap them,” the Shin Bet said in a statement, adding that these activities took place in Turkey, Europe, Africa and Arab countries.
Israeli intelligence agencies are concerned that Iran's activities could lead to attempts to harm or kidnap Israelis in these countries, the Shin Bet said, noting that a similar tactic has been used by Iran against regime opponents in Europe.
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An Israeli official - who asked not to be identified - told AFP that "there was at least one case of a citizen who left for a foreign country to meet someone" he met through a suspicious social media account. The person was promptly notified by Israeli authorities and returned home, the official said.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have increased in recent weeks, with attacks on commercial ships by both sides, according to reports.
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Iran said on April 12 that a "small explosion" hit the Natanz uranium enrichment plant's electricity distribution center on April 11, in what the Foreign Ministry called an Israeli act of "terrorism.".
Israel has expressed its opposition to recent EU talks with Iran, aimed at saving the 2015 international agreement on Tehran's nuclear program, which has been "broken" since the US withdrew from the agreement in 2018.
Israel claims that Iran has been secretly working on developing a nuclear weapon, while Tehran denies these allegations.
Information source: securityaffairs.co
