Iran has replaced the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC intelligence unit after he was accused of being behind plans to target Israeli tourists in Turkey.
Iranian state TV reported on Thursday that Hossein Taeb had been appointed as an advisor to the Guards’ commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, just days after Israeli media said he was behind plans to kill or kidnap Israelis in Turkey.
He will be replaced by Mohammad Kazemi, previously head of the Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Protection unit.
Before becoming the Guards intelligence chief in 2009, Taeb worked at the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Israel raised its Istanbul travel advisory to the highest alert level on 13 June because of what it said was a threat of Iranian attempts to kill or abduct Israelis vacationing in Turkey.
The warnings come amid a surge in tensions between Iran and Israel, with Tehran blaming Israel for a series of attacks on its nuclear and military infrastructure.
According to The New York Times, Iran suspects that Israel killed two of its scientists a few weeks ago by poisoning their food.
Ayoub Entezari and Kamran Aghamolaei died in separate incidents under murky circumstances that Iran suspects were targeted killings, the Times reported, citing an Iranian official and two other sources connected to the government.
