Thanks to a rare look at the expanded penal institution of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tehran, Fox News has obtained exclusive information about Iranians sentenced to harsh sentences for mere contact with Israelis, including, for one, a betrayal by Turkish intelligence – a suspected US ally
“A woman imprisoned in the infamous Evin prison in Tehran – where the regime holds most of its political prisoners – has been arrested by Turkish intelligence and is leaving the Israeli embassy in Ankara,” a source told Fox News said. However, Ankara deported her to Iran and into the hands of the Revolutionary Guards, the source said.
The Turkish government under the rule of political Islamist Recep Tayyip Erdogan is apparently an ally of the United States because Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
MORE THAN 300 IRANIAN ACTIVITIES RETURN COMMANDMENT BACK DEMOCRATIC IRAN, HUMAN RIGHTS BEGIN NUCLEAR
The Trump administration has designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, and the classification remains in force. The guards were responsible for the killings of hundreds of Americans in the Middle East.
The source, who did not want to be named, said the woman was given ’16 years on charges of espionage and terrorism. She had an Iranian boyfriend whom she met in Europe and who according to her works as a doctor for the IDF. [Israel Defense Forces]. ”
The source added that ‘the woman with him on her Iranian passport visited Tel Aviv and was probably involved in doing something for the Israelis. She is a Muslim who practices and will pray regularly, but somehow feels attracted to Israel. ‘
This was not the first time Erdogan had betrayed Israel. In 2013, David Ignatius, columnist for the Washington Post, reported that Erdogan “revealed to Iranian intelligence the identities of up to ten Iranians who met with their Mossad officials in Turkey.”
Iranian women detainees sit inside their cell in Tehran’s Evin prison on June 13, 2006. Iranian police detained 70 people during a rally in favor of women’s rights, the court said on Tuesday, adding that they were ready to report review that the police beat some protesters. .
(REUTERS / Morteza Nikoubazl)
The Resistance Axis Monitor organization, which provides insight into ‘Iranian operations’ in the Middle East, tweeted on March 23: “Some popular pro-IRGC Telegram channels claim that Turkish intelligence warned in Lebanon yesterday about a plan by Mossad with the assassination of economic deputy and former oil minister in the Qods Force Rostam Qasemi, and that the authorities have thwarted the conspiracy. ”
Another person told Fox News that within the prisons in Iran ‘many of the anti-regime activists were very pro-Israel, based on’ my enemy’s enemy is my friend ‘, and would say things like’ I love Israel ‘or’ I wish Israel wanted to bomb Iran. ”
This source raised the case of another Iranian prisoner who was allegedly sentenced to five years in prison for being in contact with people in Israel. This person commented on sympathy for or interest in Israel on a Farsi website about Israel set up by an Israeli NGO trying to reach out to regular Iranians.
IRAN BLAMES ISRAEL FOR SABOTATION ON NUCLEAR FACILITY
“The prisoner was then contacted by this organization and a video was recorded in support of it,” the source said. “The individual made direct contact via video call with some Israelis they met via this website. The Iranian regime watched them and arrested the prisoner because of this illegal communication and because he was doing something pro-Israel online. “The prisoner was very pro-Israel prisoner and would speak openly about their interest in visiting Israel after their release.”
According to the source, “the prisoner even hoped that Israel would give them asylum after their release, because they were imprisoned for Israel.”
The Islamic Republic criminalized visits to Israel and over the years imprisoned Iranian Jews who managed to visit the Jewish state and return to Iran. In 2020, the parliament of the Iranian regime passed a law banning any predetermined contact between Iranians and Israelis.
A third case brought to the attention of Fox News involves an Iranian prisoner convicted of spying for the Mossad along with their partner, who successfully fled Iran before the prisoner was arrested. This prisoner allegedly owned an apartment in Tel Aviv and had visited Israel several times.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The revelation that Turkey is damaging a suspected Israeli asset in Ankara could spark new criticism of Erdogan’s government. Both the Trump and Biden governments have strongly opposed Erdogan’s purchase of Russian S-400 missiles. Russia is hostile to NATO and critics see the alliance between Turkey and Russia as the NATO alliance.
Fox News sent press questions to the governments of Turkey and Israel and did not receive immediate answers.
Benjamin Weinthal reports on human rights in the Middle East and is a Fellow of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Follow him on Twitter @BenWeinthal