It was announced today that the Shin Bet, the International Criminal Police Unit and the Lahav 433 cyber unit of the Israel Police have uncovered an Iranian intelligence network that aimed to recruit and use citizens in Israel for its purposes.
In this context, Rafael and Lala Guliyev, both about 32 years old and residents of Lod, were arrested after carrying out orders for an Iranian network that recruited Israelis who had immigrated to Israel from the Caucasus states.
Shin Bet and police interrogations revealed that Rafael Guliyev, 29, was recruited by Elshan (Elchan) Agayev, 56, of Azerbaijani origin, and worked for Iranian intelligence. As part of his duties, Guliyev conducted surveillance at sensitive locations in Israel, including the headquarters of the Mossad. He also collected information on an academic working at the Institute for Security Studies (INSS), who had been marked for physical attack by the Iranians. In addition, Guliyev was asked to locate a person who could be used as an assassin for the Iranian client. Some of these tasks were carried out by Guliyev with the help of his wife Lala.
Today, the Central District Prosecutor’s Office will file serious charges against her.
A senior Shin Bet official said: ‘These cases are part of a series of counter-intelligence operations uncovered in recent weeks, in which Israeli citizens working for Iranian intelligence were arrested and carried out tasks for them.
The investigation once again reveals the efforts of Iranian intelligence to recruit and use Israeli citizens for espionage and terrorist activities in Israel.
A senior police official said that the Israel Police, together with the Israel Security Agency and other security services, will work around the clock to uncover and prevent activities against the country’s citizens, and will act harshly and ruthlessly against unscrupulous criminals who collaborate with the enemy and endanger the public and the state.
The Israeli security forces, including the Israel Security Agency and the Israel Police, will continue to work together and combine their efforts to expose Iranian activities and apply the full force of the law to those involved in such activities.
