Following the attempted terrorist attack on a Flydubai aircraft, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has not ruled out Iran as the mastermind behind the incident. Speaking to the German television channel “Welt” on Thursday regarding the suspected attacker, who originates from Oman, Herzog stated, “I am not saying this man was completely motivated by Iran. But clearly, he was motivated by jihadist, extremist-Islamic rhetoric and corresponding ideology.”
When asked how Israel would react, if the subsequent investigation revealed Iran’s involvement, Herzog stressed that the international community must respond, recognize, and understand that Iran poses a threat to world stability and is an enemy of the free world. He warned that Iran operates under a “jihadist ideology” and seeks “to eliminate all of us from the map,” requiring a worldwide fight against it. Therefore, he asserted, the world must remain determined, act decisively, and make it absolutely clear to the Iranian people that such actions will no longer be tolerated. “The world must change its course concerning Iran.”
Despite these strong statements, the president noted that the authorities and intelligence agencies are currently conducting investigations into the incident’s origins, which must be allowed to proceed. Regardless of the final findings, Herzog assessed that the world was “on the brink of catastrophe” due to the kidnapping attempt. Had the terrorist’s plans materialized, a genuine catastrophe would have occurred. He pointed out that the aircraft had passengers of “many different nationalities,” and international aviation would have been “completely derailed and standing in shock,” much like the events of September 11, 2001.
