Foiled Assassination: Iranian Plot Against Israeli Diplomat Uncovered
A senior US official has disclosed to the Daily Mail that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) orchestrated a plot to assassinate Israel's ambassador to Mexico, Einat Kranz Neiger. The scheme was active during the first half of this year after being conceived towards the end of 2024.
The Mastermind and His Network
Western intelligence agencies identified Hasan Izadi, a senior officer in Iran's Quds Force, as the alleged architect of the assassination plan. The Quds Force serves as the IRGC's overseas arm, responsible for foreign operations and supporting allied militias across the Middle East, including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.
Izadi, who operates under the alias Masood Rahnema, was reportedly working as a double-agent while directing efforts to kill the Israeli ambassador. He had been stationed as second adviser at Iran's embassy in Venezuela, a diplomatic position that US and allied officials believe served as cover for lethal operations targeting American and Israeli officials.
During his posting in Caracas, Izadi maintained regular contact with Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon. Intelligence reports indicate he travelled extensively through Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, cultivating a network of informants and facilitators across Latin America.
A Pattern of Global Terrorism
This incident represents the latest in a long history of Iran's global targeting of diplomats, journalists, dissidents and critics. A US official who requested anonymity told the Daily Mail: "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."
The source confirmed the plot has been contained and no longer poses an immediate threat. Ambassador Kranz Neiger continues her duties in Mexico City, while US intelligence indicates Izadi remains alive and in Iran.
Since the 1979 revolution, the IRGC has become the primary instrument for the Iranian regime's covert operations. Over the past four decades, it has been linked to dozens of assassination plots across Europe, the Middle East and America.
Recent IRGC Assassination Attempts
The IRGC has been implicated in several recent murder-for-hire plots targeting high-profile US officials:
- In September 2024, federal prosecutors allege the IRGC asked Farhad Shakeri, an Afghan national living in Iran, to assassinate President Trump. Iran has denied these allegations.
- In March 2025, two Eastern European organised crime figures were convicted in New York for their involvement in a plot to kill outspoken anti-regime Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad. Court documents reveal the Iranian government paid approximately $500,000 to surveil and target Alinejad.
- In August 2022, US prosecutors charged Iranian national Shahram Poursafi with arranging a $300,000 payment to have former National Security Adviser John Bolton killed, allegedly in retaliation for the January 2020 US strike that killed IRGC-QF commander Qasem Soleimani.
The Quds Force continues to play a central role in Iran's foreign military and intelligence strategy, asserting influence across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and beyond, raising significant concerns within international security circles.
