Iran plotted to assassinate Israel's ambassador to Mexico, U.S. officials say

Behind the scenes: The plan was hatched by the same Quds Force unit of the IRGC — the shadowy Unit 11000 — that in recent months allegedly tried to conduct attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets in Australia and Europe, according to sources familiar with the matter.

• It was initiated at the end of 2024 and led by a Unit 11000 operative who spent several years handling and recruiting Iranian agents across Latin America out of the Iranian Embassy in Venezuela, a source with knowledge said. By the time the plan was in motion, the operative had returned to Quds Force headquarters in Tehran.
• A U.S. official said the assassination plot was active through the first half of 2025 before being thwarted over the summer. "The plot was contained and does not pose a current threat," the U.S. official said.
• Iran's mission to the UN declined to comment.

What they're saying: "This is just the latest in a long history of assassination attempts by Iran around the world targeting diplomats, journalists, dissidents and anyone who disagrees with them — something that should deeply concern every country where there is an Iranian presence," the U.S. official said.

• Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said Israel thanks Mexico's security and law enforcement agencies for thwarting the plot.
• "The Israeli intelligence and security community will continue to work tirelessly, in full cooperation with security and intelligence agencies around the world, to thwart terror threats from Iran and its proxies against Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide," Marmorstein said.
• Israel also has a long history of assassinating Iranian officials — though not ambassadors — including in third countries.