The United States has made startling allegations against Iran, accusing the Middle Eastern nation of orchestrating a plot to assassinate Israel's ambassador to Mexico. This development represents what officials describe as another attempt to extend the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel beyond the Middle East region.
The Foiled Assassination Plot
According to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force initiated the assassination plan in late 2024. The plot was successfully disrupted earlier this year, with authorities confirming that the threat has been completely neutralized.
"The plot was contained and does not pose a current threat," the official stated. "This is just the latest in a long history of Iran's global lethal targeting of diplomats, journalists, dissidents and anyone who disagrees with them, something that should deeply worry every country where there is an Iranian presence."
While US authorities confirmed they had thwarted the assassination attempt, they provided no specific details or evidence about how the alleged operation was stopped. Iran's mission to the United Nations has declined to comment on these serious allegations.
Background of Escalating Tensions
This alleged assassination attempt follows Israel's April 2024 attack on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, an operation that killed several senior Revolutionary Guard officers and triggered vows of retaliation from Tehran. The cycle of violence continued with Iran later launching missiles and drones at Israel, followed by Israel carrying out a major bombing campaign inside Iran that killed more than 1,000 people.
US forces joined the conflict by striking Iranian nuclear sites, further escalating the situation. The current tensions trace back to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which ignited the ongoing war in Gaza. Iran remains a key supporter of Hamas, while Israel's response has expanded across the region with strikes on Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Qatar and Yemen.
Global Pattern of Iranian Operations
US intelligence agencies have long warned that Iranian operatives actively seek targets in Latin America, where Tehran maintains close ties with Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro. This regional connection raises significant security concerns for Western nations operating in the area.
Israeli intelligence has repeatedly accused the Quds Force of plotting attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets abroad. Recent evidence of this pattern includes Australia's decision to expel Iran's ambassador, citing Iranian involvement in arson attacks on a Melbourne synagogue and a kosher restaurant in Sydney.
Latin America has previously experienced violence linked to Middle East tensions, most notably the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people. Argentina and Israel blame Hezbollah for this attack, alleging the group was acting on Iran's orders.
Despite the Iranian government's hostility toward Israel, Iran surprisingly remains home to a historic Jewish community. Meanwhile, Mexico, where the alleged plot was aimed, hosts a significant Jewish population and maintains diplomatic ties with Israel while taking a more cautious approach to the Gaza conflict.
