The Beersheba District Court convicted an Israeli citizen of acting on behalf of the Iranian intelligence agencies and entering an enemy country without permission, the Attorney General's Office announced on Thursday.
Moti Maman, 73, entered Iran twice and discussed carrying out terrorist acts on Israeli soil with Iranian agents, according to his confession.
Maman, of Ashkelon, demanded an advance payment of one million dollars from Iranian intelligence officials before carrying out any action for them. Maman admitted that he had been in contacts with Iranian agents due to his financial situation.
This marks the first conviction since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, despite several indictments against Israelis who were recruited by Iranian agents.
According to the indictment earlier this year, Maman discussed the possibility of assassinating senior Israeli figures in Israel, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Galant, and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, with the Iranian agent.
He also met with the agents about the possibility of assassinating former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett or certain mayors using an explosive device, the establishment of special assassination squads in Russia and the United States which would be used to assassinate opponents of the Iranian regime, and the carrying out of money laundering in Israel for others.
One of Maman's neighbors in Ashkelon told Maariv in September, "It was clear he didn't like the country, that he wasn't happy here. Whenever I saw him, he would complain. Two weeks ago, security forces arrived at the building with weapons, looking for him. He lives here with his partner. The moment we saw that the spy was from Ashkelon, we immediately knew it was him. I called a friend and told her it must be him - and I was right. It doesn't surprise me at all."