Israeli Ambassador Claims Iran Funds Nigerian Militancy and Global Terror Networks Amidst Middle East Conflict

Ambassador Michael Freeman claims Iran backs the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and global terror, while Tehran's envoy Raja denies the allegations as propaganda.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 7, 2026, 4:36 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Gazettengr

Allegations of Iranian Subversion in West Africa

Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria Michael Freeman has issued a series of sharp accusations against the Iranian government, claiming that Tehran is a primary sponsor of terrorism within Nigerian borders. During a televised interview on Friday, Freeman asserted that Nigeria is currently on the receiving end of Iranian backed militancy, specifically naming the Islamic Movement of Nigeria as a group receiving direct support from the Islamic Republic. The ambassador’s remarks suggest that Iranian influence in West Africa is part of a broader, more aggressive strategy to export its revolutionary ideology and destabilize regional security through local proxies.

Linking Nigerian Movements to Global Terror Networks

According to Freeman, the alleged sponsorship of Nigerian groups is not an isolated incident but rather a single component of Iran’s global terror infrastructure. He argued that the same regime supporting local Nigerian factions is also responsible for funding and directing major international militant organizations, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi rebels. By framing the Islamic Movement of Nigeria within this wider context, the Israeli envoy positioned the security challenges facing Abuja as inextricably linked to the ongoing military confrontations between Israel and Iranian aligned forces in the Middle East.

Citing Historical and Contemporary State Violence

To further delegitimize the Iranian government, Freeman cited a history of international bombings and a recent, brutal domestic crackdown. He referenced past terror attacks in Argentina and Bulgaria as evidence of Iran’s willingness to operate outside the norms of international law. Most notably, the ambassador claimed that during mass protests within Iran less than two months ago, the regime allegedly gunned down between 30,000 and 70,000 of its own citizens. These figures, which Freeman used to label the current administration in Tehran as illegitimate, highlight the extreme level of hostility currently defining the diplomatic relationship between the two nations.