A plot orchestrated by Iran to assassinate a Jewish religious leader in Azerbaijan was thwarted earlier this year, according to Western and Middle Eastern security officials cited by The Washington Post.
In the fall of 2024, an officer from Iran’s Quds Force—the external operations branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—met with Agil Aslanov, a Georgian national involved in drug trafficking. During the meeting, held in Iran and arranged by Iranian national Mohammad Golkari, who is believed to have deep criminal ties, Aslanov was given a photograph of Rabbi Shneor Segal and instructions to kill him. The agreed payment was $200,000, with an advance of $2,000.
Upon returning to Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, Aslanov recruited a local accomplice, Jeyhun Ismayilov. The two began monitoring Rabbi Segal’s movements and collected information on his residence and workplace, sending the data to Iranian intelligence using a secure mobile app.
The Azerbaijani State Security Service (SSS) intercepted the operation in January 2025, arresting both suspects. They were charged with conspiracy to commit a terrorist act. Authorities also uncovered that the plot extended beyond the assassination attempt—it included plans to attack an educational center in Azerbaijan.
Until the recent report, the identity of the target had not been publicly disclosed. In an interview with The Washington Post, Rabbi Segal said he learned about the foiled plot and the arrests through Azerbaijani media but had no idea he was the intended target. “We live here peacefully. I walk on the streets here, and there is no fear,” he stated.
The foiled attack fits a broader pattern of Iranian operations using criminal proxies to target Jewish and diaspora figures worldwide, according to security officials. This strategy has intensified since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Other cases linked to Iran include:
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Germany (2023): Iranian proxies were accused of planning attacks on synagogues and a school.
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Peru (2024): An alleged Quds Force member and two Peruvians were arrested for plotting to kill an Israeli national.
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United States (2024): Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, connected to Russian organized crime, were convicted in New York for planning to assassinate Iranian-American activist Masih Alinejad. The IRGC allegedly offered them $500,000.
Azerbaijan has previously blamed Iran for other attacks, including a 2023 assassination attempt on lawmaker Fazil Mustafa, who was shot with a Kalashnikov. Iranian clerics were suspected of ordering the hit. Five defendants in that case were later convicted of treason and attempted murder.
Despite a shared border and historic ties, relations between Iran and Azerbaijan remain tense—exacerbated by Iran’s support for Armenia, Azerbaijan’s regional rival. These tensions escalated further after Azerbaijan reclaimed control over Karabakh in 2023.
Iranian and Azerbaijani authorities have so far declined to comment on the latest revelations.
