Iran’s ambassador to Nigeria has offered Tehran’s assistance in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, pushing back against Israeli allegations that Iran sponsors Islamic movements across West Africa.
Speaking on Arise Television on Sunday, Mahdavi Raja said Iran condemns terrorism in all its forms and stands ready to share its counterterrorism experience with Nigeria.
“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,” he said.
Raja was responding to remarks made two days earlier by Michael Freeman, Israel’s ambassador to Nigeria. Freeman had accused Iran of sponsoring Islamic movements in Nigeria and West Africa to spread terror 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,” Freeman said.
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Freeman’s comments came as members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shi’ites, staged protests in several states following the killing of supreme leader Ali Khamenei in recent US-Israeli strikes on Tehran.
The IMN rejected Freeman’s claims hours later, calling them “possible false-flag terrorism by the Israelis.” Ammar Rajab, chairman of the IMN media forum, said it was “both inappropriate and unacceptable” for a representative of a state “widely found guilty of committing genocide” to lecture others on terrorism.
Raja addressed the protests directly. He said Shi’ite rallies across Nigeria reflected a spiritual and cultural bond with the late Iranian leader — not 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,” he said.
The ambassador also insisted that Iran itself is a victim of terrorism. He said Tehran’s foreign ministry has repeatedly condemned terrorist attacks in Nigeria and across Africa. “We are victims, and we are ready to cooperate with African countries to combat terrorism, drawing from our experience,” Raja said.
