Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei. (File)
Iran responds to US claims of plot to kill ‘Israeli’ ambassador in Mexico
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- Iran strongly rejected US accusations of plotting to assassinate the ‘Israeli’ Ambassador to Mexico, labeling the claims as "absurd" and "fabricated."
- The denials follow conflicting international accounts, as ‘Israel’ thanked Mexico for thwarting the plot while Mexico's Foreign Ministry denied having any information about the incident.
Iran on Monday rejected US accusations that Tehran planned to assassinate the ‘Israeli’ Ambassador to Mexico, Einat Kranz-Neiger, dismissing the claims as "absurd."
"We found this claim extremely ridiculous," said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, placing the accusation within the context of what he called Washington's efforts "to destroy Iran's friendly relations with other countries."
Conflicting International Accounts
The US allegation, which first surfaced on Friday, prompted a swift response from ‘Israel’. The ‘Israeli’ Foreign Ministry thanked Mexican authorities for "thwarting a terrorist network run by Iran."
However, the Mexican Foreign Ministry later issued a statement saying it had "not received any information" regarding the incident.
The Iranian Embassy in Mexico similarly described the accusations as "media fabrications and a big lie."
Details of the Alleged Plot
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, previously reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force Unit 11000 began plotting in late 2024 to target Kranz-Neiger, which was thwarted this year.
The alleged plot involved recruiting agents through the Iranian Embassy in Venezuela, whose leftist President Nicolás Maduro is an ally of Iran.
Baghaei maintained Iran's firm denial on Monday, stating, "The whole issue is fabricated."
The accusations come amid heightened regional tensions.
In mid-June, ‘Israel’ launched an unprecedented offensive against Iran, sparking a 12-day war that briefly included US strikes against Iranian nuclear sites. A cease-fire between Iran and ‘Israel’ was reached on June 24.
