The Israeli Public Prosecution on Sunday filed an indictment at the Haifa District Court against Shimon Azarzar, 27, from Kiryat Yam, who is accused of transmitting sensitive military information to Iranian intelligence.
The Shin Bet and Israel Police said in a joint statement that Azarzar and his wife were arrested in October on suspicion of acting under Iranian direction to gather intelligence and carry out tasks.
Azarzar maintained direct contact with Iranian intelligence handlers for more than a year and carried out tasks at their request, investigations revealed. He also sent photos and coordinates of strategic sites in Israel to Iranian operatives over the course of a year and offered additional information from Israeli army bases.
The police and Shin Bet statement said Azarzar also allegedly used his wife, a reservist serving on an Air Force base, to collect additional intelligence on Israeli army facilities and operations.
It said Azarzar was paid for his activities via digital payment methods.
His wife insists that she was unaware her husband was recruited by Iranian intelligence, and that information he received from her came from ordinary conversations and not leaks.
Azarzar’s case is the fifth indictment this month against Israeli citizens accused of spying for Iran. Security officials say the phenomenon appeared to be driven “most often out of greed for money.”
Over the past year, Shin Bet and the Israeli police said about 40 Israelis have been indicted on the same charges, and are placed in a wing in Haifa’s Damon prison, known for housing Palestinian security detainees.
In return, Iran is also arresting a number of its own citizens for allegedly spying for Israel. Few days ago, Tehran said it arrested a cell of seven members suspected of working on behalf of Israel.
