Iran’s ambassador to Nigeria, Mahdavi Raja, has offered Tehran’s support in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Sunday, Mr Raja said Iran is willing to share its counterterrorism experience with Abuja amid fresh accusations from Israel that Tehran sponsors extremist movements in West Africa.
The allegations surfaced as members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ites, staged protests in several Nigerian states following reports of the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the recent United States–Israel strikes on Tehran.
Iran’s ambassador to Nigeria emphasised that Iran condemns terrorism in all its forms and is ready to cooperate with Nigeria in tackling security threats posed by groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
“We know that Nigeria faces threats from Boko Haram, ISWAP, and others. We are ready to share our experience in counterterrorism, as we have extensive experience in the region,” Mr Raja said.
The envoy’s remarks came two days after Israel’s ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, accused Iran of sponsoring Islamic movements in Nigeria and across West Africa as part of a broader strategy to spread terrorism globally.
“We’ve seen Iran spreading terror. We’ve seen them developing a ballistic missile programme and a nuclear programme. Nigeria has been on the receiving end of terrorism from Iran,” Mr Freeman said.
Responding to the accusations, the IMN dismissed the Israeli claims as unfounded. Chairman of the IMN media forum, Ammar Rajab, said it was inappropriate for Israel to accuse others of terrorism.
“It is both inappropriate and unacceptable for a representative of a state widely found guilty of committing genocide to lecture others on terrorism,” Mr Rajab said.
Addressing the protests, Mr Raja said demonstrations by Shi’ite groups in Nigeria reflected a spiritual and religious connection with the late Iranian leader rather than political direction from Tehran.
“This does not mean that Iran is defending those groups. It is a moral and spiritual connection because they are Muslims, and we are Muslims,” Mr Raja said.
The Iranian envoy also maintained that Iran itself has been a victim of terrorism, noting that Tehran has repeatedly condemned attacks across Africa.
“We are victims, and we are ready to cooperate with African countries to combat terrorism, drawing from our experience,” he added.
Background
Nigeria has battled insurgency in the North-East for more than a decade, with attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP causing thousands of deaths and widespread displacement.
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