Attempted assassination and MOSSAD operation in Cyprus

Israel's national intelligence service, MOSSAD, claims Iran sent a man named Yousef Shahbazi Abbasalilo to northern Cyprus to assassinate some Israeli businessmen in the south of the island. According to MOSSAD, the man returned to Iran without carrying out his terrorist plan, but was apprehended in Iran as a result of an operation conducted by MOSSAD. The allegations have been widely reported in the international press, but police in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus deny the allegations, while the Republic of Cyprus has not provided any comment.

According to The Times of Israel, MOSSAD shared a video of the suspect's interrogation. In the video, a man with an Azeri accent in Farsi says he was tasked with carrying out the murders of several Jews in Cyprus, while working with Cypriots, Pakistanis and Iranians.

Video footage taken without his knowledge shows the man claiming that his contact told him, "You need to enter northern Cyprus, we have people there who will ferry you to southern Cyprus." The man allegedly returned to Iran after being chased by police in Cyprus.

According to a Reuters report, however, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a few days ago that "an Iranian attack on Israeli targets in Cyprus was prevented." A statement from his office gave no further details.

The police of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus responded to the allegations. The statement said that "until now we have not received notification from the southern authorities on this issue" and "last year a decision was taken to expel an Iranian from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus due to his suspicious security activities. "

The statement also emphasized that "in our country and in other countries, we will always pursue with determination and uncompromisingness people and groups who commit crimes against humanity, terrorist and similar activities. "