Israel has renewed allegations that Iran sponsors terrorism globally, including in Nigeria, amid a growing diplomatic exchange between the two countries over security claims and counter-claims.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said Iran’s record on terrorism was well documented and could not be dismissed through public denials.
The statement followed remarks by Iran’s envoy to Nigeria, Gholamreza Mahdavi Raja, who appeared on Arise Television on March 8 and rejected accusations that Iran sponsors extremist activities in Nigeria and across West Africa.
Responding to the claims, Freeman maintained that Tehran has long been identified as a major state sponsor of militant groups in different parts of the world.
“For decades, Iran has been widely identified as the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing funding, weapons, training and strategic direction to terrorist organisations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis,” the Israeli envoy said.
Freeman added that activities linked to Tehran have extended beyond the Middle East to other regions.
“Iranian-backed operatives and networks have been linked to attacks and plots across the globe; from Argentina and Bulgaria to Australia and the United Kingdom,” he said.
The ambassador also referenced the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians, alleging that Iranian leaders publicly praised the assault and encouraged further violence against Israel.
Freeman further claimed that Nigeria has recorded incidents allegedly linked to Iranian operations.
According to him, Nigerian authorities intercepted a shipment of Iranian weapons in 2010 at Apapa Port in Lagos. He said the arms were concealed in cargo containers and allegedly destined for armed groups operating in West Africa.
He also cited a 2013 security operation during which Nigerian authorities reportedly uncovered a weapons cache and arrested individuals linked to Hezbollah in Abuja and Kano.
Freeman said Iran’s denials could not override what he described as documented evidence of its activities.
“The Iranian regime can make as many statements as they like and appear on as many television channels as they want. But facts speak louder than words. And the fact is that Iran is the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism and has backed the Islamic Movement of Nigeria for years,” he said.
He also alleged that Iran has supported the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), noting that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had previously met with the group’s leader Ibrahim Zakzaky and praised him for his activism.
The Israeli embassy said the statement was issued to counter what it described as misinformation regarding Iran’s global activities.
“Terrorism threatens the security and stability of nations across the world, including here in Nigeria,” the statement added.
