Mexican authorities, working closely with US and Israeli intelligence agencies, foiled an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Israel’s ambassador to Mexico, Einat Kranz Neiger.
The conspiracy was orchestrated by the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in late 2024 and remained active through the first half of this year before being disrupted, The Times of Israel reported, citing a US official.
While the US official declined to detail how the plot was uncovered or thwarted, intelligence sources cited by Haaretz and Axios linked the operation to IRGC officer Hasan Izadi, also known as Masood Rahnema.
Izadi allegedly helped coordinate the plot from Iran’s embassy in Venezuela, where he served as an aide to the ambassador. The plan was reportedly advanced through the Quds Force’s Unit 11000, which has been tied to attempts against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe and Australia.
He added that Israel’s intelligence services would “continue to work tirelessly, in full cooperation with partners around the world, to thwart terrorist threats from Iran and its proxies against Israeli and Jewish targets globally.”
The United States and several allies have repeatedly accused Tehran of sponsoring and directing plots targeting its critics, Israeli interests, and Western officials abroad — allegations Iran has denied as politically motivated. Western intelligence agencies in recent years have also warned of Iran’s use of criminal proxies to carry out violent operations in Europe and beyond.
The alleged assassination attempt in Mexico underscores what US and Israeli officials describe as Iran’s expanding covert network across Latin America, with Venezuela serving as a strategic hub for intelligence and operational activities.