Iranian Plot to Assassinate Chabad Rabbi in Azerbaijan Foiled

A recent report by The Washington Post has revealed that Iranian operatives attempted to assassinate Rabbi Shneor Segal, the Chabad emissary and Chief Rabbi of the Ashkenazi community in Baku, Azerbaijan. The plot, orchestrated by Iran’s Quds Force, involved recruiting local criminals to carry out the attack. However, Azerbaijani security forces successfully thwarted the attempt and arrested the suspects before they could act.

According to Western and Middle Eastern security officials, an Iranian officer met with Agil Aslanov, a known drug trafficker from Georgia, and offered him $200,000 to assassinate Rabbi Segal. Aslanov, along with a local accomplice, Jeyhun Ismayilov, began monitoring the rabbi’s movements, gathering intelligence on his residence and workplace. Their activities were intercepted by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan, leading to their arrest in January.

The foiled plot also included a plan to attack a Jewish educational center in Baku. Azerbaijani authorities charged Aslanov and Ismayilov with conspiring to commit a terrorist act. Rabbi Segal, speaking to The Washington Post, stated that he only learned of the plot from media reports and reassured that he feels safe in Azerbaijan. “We live here peacefully. I walk on the streets here, and there is no fear,” he said.

This attempt is part of a broader pattern of Iran targeting Jewish figures and institutions worldwide, often using criminal networks to maintain plausible deniability. Security officials noted a surge in such attacks following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Similar Iranian-backed plots have been uncovered in Europe and South America, further highlighting the global nature of this threat.

Along with his wife Chava, Rabbi Segal serves as the chief emissary of Chabad in Baku, playing a central role in the revival of the local Jewish community and its spiritual and communal life. With unwavering dedication, Rabbi Segal leads the FJC’s ‘Or Avner’ Jewish school network in Azerbaijan, as well as numerous informal educational initiatives, ensuring the continuity of Jewish education and values for future generations.

For more information about Chabad and the Jewish Community in Baku, click here.