Israel alleges Iran-backed plot to abduct citizen in UAE

Iran-backed operatives attempted to lure an Israeli businessman to the United Arab Emirates, Israel's National Security Council said on Tuesday, weeks after an Israeli rabbi was killed there.

According to the NSC statement issued in Hebrew, the operatives introduced themselves as journalists from the Persian edition of Al Arabiya -- the Saudi-owned media network with a presence in Dubai.

The Iranian agents, the statement read, reached out to the Israeli businessman via Telegram, inviting him for an interview on the topic of Iran for the news channel.

The team then attempted to plant malicious software on the Israeli man's device through links, "designed to grant them access to his mobile phone without his knowledge."

The businessman, suspicious about the messages, reported the account to security services leading to an investigation.

"The characteristics of the conversation and the invitation to conduct an 'interview' on the subject of the Iranian regime indicate that indeed Iranian terror elements are behind the approach. In fact, this was an attempt to lure the Israeli to Dubai with the intent to harm him," the NSC statement said.

This incident comes less than two months since Chabad emissary Zvi Kogan was murdered in the UAE, who Israel says was murdered in "antisemitic act of terror."

Kogan’s body was found near the Omani border.

Three Uzbek citizens have since been arrested in connection with the case, with UAE authorities saying they will take "take the necessary measures to uncover the details, circumstances, and motives of the incident."

In 2020, Jamshid Sharmahd was kidnapped by Iranian operatives from Dubai and forcibly taken to Iran via Oman. He was sentenced to death and executed in what Amnesty called a "grossly unfair trial" in 2023. Iran accused him of being the leader of a pro-monarchist terrorist group. Sharmahd and his family denied the claim. Amnesty International said he faced a grossly unfair trial based on forced “confessions", held in solitary confinement since 2020.

In 2013, Iranian intelligence agents are believed to have kidnapped British-Iranian businessman Abbas Yazdi from the car park of his Dubai company.

Israel saw a record surge last year in Iran-backed plots, rising by 400% in the wake of the Gaza war.

“During the year, 13 serious espionage affairs by Israelis were exposed and thwarted for the Iranian intelligence agencies, and serious indictments were filed against 27 Israelis,” a statement from Israel’s security agency Shin Bet said.