The Israeli Mossad intelligence agency announced in an official statement that it had thwarted a plan by Iranian intelligence to establish an operational cell of foreign nationals inside Israel with the aim of targeting senior Israeli figures.

The agency confirmed that this disruption was the result of close intelligence cooperation with international agencies, noting that Iranian intelligence relies on a 'proxy-by-proxy' method, recruiting intermediary criminal organizations to carry out its operations without leaving a direct footprint, in an effort to avoid political repercussions.

Mossad revealed that a person named Terut Ozkur, known as 'Filip,' a resident of France, was responsible for recruiting the operational cell and bringing it into Israel. He was recruited by two agents currently living in Iran under the patronage of Iranian intelligence: Baba Mahmoud Zadeh Haji Jafan, nicknamed 'Babak,' and Mahmoud Nadim Yit, nicknamed 'Nadim.'

The agency indicated that these two agents have documented ties to drug trafficker Naji Sharifi Zandashiti, who has been funding terrorism for years under the direction of Iranian intelligence. 'Filip' visited Iran several times, where he met with his handlers and received sums of money in exchange for carrying out the tasks assigned to him.

As part of international investigations, links were uncovered between 'Babak' and 'Nadim' and officers in Iranian intelligence: Asadollah Behzad Owsari, Vahid Mazoumi, Mohammad Hossein Duki, and Hamid Ghasemi. Mossad noted that Behzad Owsari played a key role in targeting Jewish and Israeli sites, and was eliminated during 'Operation Lion's Roar.'

As for 'Filip,' he was deported from France due to his involvement in planning terrorist activities directed from Iran, while 'Babak' and 'Nadim' continue to run their cells from inside Iran and are under constant surveillance by international intelligence agencies.

Mossad explained that the method of espionage by proxy repeatedly demonstrates the negligence of field agents, ultimately leading to the exposure of agents in Iran. The agency affirmed that Mossad and Shin Bet will continue to work with their international partners to uncover terrorist and espionage activities against Israeli and Jewish interests, and bring all those involved to justice.

In a broader context, the agency noted that Iranian intelligence, in collaboration with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been waging a global campaign targeting Israeli and Jewish sites for years, and has recently intensified efforts to carry out attacks inside Israel. It stressed that international intelligence cooperation has thwarted dozens of Iranian terrorist attacks in recent years.