According to Turkish reports, local security services thwarted the activity of the Mossad organization against Iran in Turkey, 11 people were arrested and three are still wanted. Also according to the same report, the cell planned to spy on an Iranian company and 23 people with business ties to Iran in the country. No Israeli official has commented on the developments and claimed Mossad activity thus far.
Among the allegedly fake names of the detainees: Jose-Jorge Satia and Thomas Alfonso. According to the authorities, for a year and a half, the group spied against 23 Iranians. According to an Israeli report, the media in Turkey is enthusiastic about the publications and claims that "this is an operation that made a big impression on the public". It should also be noted that last December a group of people who allegedly cooperated with the Mossad were also arrested in Turkey. All in the background of the actual Iranian attempts to harm Israelis on Turkish soil, which were almost ripe for an attack about a year ago.
#Turkey's #intelligence services claim to have dismantled an #Israeli #espionage network after the #arrest of 11 people, two of them #Turkish nationals, who worked for #Israel's #Mossad. The #arrested were captured during an operation in #Istanbul. pic.twitter.com/BaYNBRtA7l
— 🇹🇷 🇬🇧 Turkey Türkiye (@HispanatoliaEN) May 23, 2023
The report about the Israeli activity against Iran on Turkish soil came at the same time as Chief of Staff Halevi's delivered his speech at the Herzliya conference of Reichman University 2023 on Monday, where he addressed a number of trending issues, including Jerusalem-Tehran relations."Iran has progressed in recent years in enriching uranium more than ever before," Halevi said at the beginning of the remarks and continued: "We are closely examining the other areas on the way to nuclear capability, there are possible negative developments on the horizon that could lead to action."
Will the arrest of 11 suspected Mossad agents in Turkey harm relations with Israel?@hayeytan breaks down the diplomatic impact the arrests could have and how the operation to expose the spies compares to past arrests of Israeli operatives #MiddleEastNow | @JacobEilon pic.twitter.com/BwUqpRqPlk
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) May 23, 2023
The arrest of the alleged Mossad agents in Turkey comes as the entire nation faces a tense election cycle. After the first round of the elections was held last week, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the secular "Republican People's Party" (CHP) and opposition to Erdogan, came into it leading polls and, according to some, was even on the verge of an immediate victory. However, on the night of the elections, it became clear that the situation was the other way around: Erdogan garnered 49.5% of the votes and Kılıçdaroğlu remained with only 44.9%.
🕵️♀️ Here are today's headlines. 📄#IDF demolishes apartment of Palestinian #terrorist who killed Or Eshkar on Dizengoff street in Tel Aviv. #Turkey uncovers Mossad ring.
— Israel Daily News Podcast (@IsraelPodcast) May 23, 2023
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Ancient #Jewish burial grounds in Israel north found to have been robbed and ruined. pic.twitter.com/8hr0DZCZ1W
As Sinan Ogan, the third-placed candidate in the race, won 5.17%, neither of them crossed the 50% mark required to win this round, thus resulting in another election round to take place next week. Considering that Erdogan is less than half a percent short of victory, Ogan's stated support for him in the second round means that even if only a fifth of Ogan's voters heed his call and vote for Erdogan, that will be enough for the president to win more than 50% and conclusively win the elections.
