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Iran considered carrying out attack at FIFA, says Israeli spy chief: Report
FIFA World Cup 2022: Major General Aharon Haliva said that the "only thing" stopping Iran from an act of terror was concern over how host country Qatar might respond.
Iran considered carrying out a terror attack at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in an attempt to disrupt the event, military intelligence chief of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, according to The Jerusalem Post.
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Speaking at an Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) conference in Tel Aviv, Major General Aharon Haliva said that the "only thing" stopping Iran from an act of terror was concern over how host country Qatar might respond, the report said.
The FIFA World Cup 2022 kicked off on Sunday and is set to last through December 18. Iran's national team is one of 32 that secured a place in the World Cup.
Major General Aharon Haliva said that the Iranian regime was concerned about maintaining its hold on power as the protests continue and it contends with Western-imposed sanctions, the report said.
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Massive protests have continued in Iran since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September, who was arrested by the country's "morality police" for not wearing hijab properly. Iranian authorities have denied accusations that Mahsa Amini suffered severe beatings while in custody that her family said caused her death.
Prior to its World Cup match on Monday, the Iranian team remained silent during its national anthem in a silent statement of solidarity with the protesters at home.
