Iran: Israeli Accusation of Plot to Harm Israelis in Istanbul ‘Ridiculous’

(Reuters) – Iran said on Friday that Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s accusation of an Iranian plot to harm Israelis in Istanbul was “ridiculous” and aimed at damaging Iranian-Turkish relations.

At a news conference in Ankara on Thursday, Lapid thanked his host Turkey for helping abort a suspected Iranian plot against Israelis in Istanbul and said the effort was still underway.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh was quoted in a ministry tweet as saying Lapid’s “ridiculous” allegation was a “pre-designed scenario to destroy relations between the two Muslim countries,” referring to Turkey and Iran.