Iran enjoys ‘influence’ on Israel government: Spy chief

By Muhammet Kursun</p> <p>TEHRAN (AA) – Iran’s intelligence chief asserted Thursday that the Iranian intelligence apparatus enjoyed a degree of “influence” inside the Israeli government, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency has reported. </p> <p>The head of Iran’s counter-espionage agency spoke to the news agency to answer recent claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israeli “agents” periodically visit Iran.</p> <p>“It’s not surprising that Netanyahu would tell stories like that,” the spy chief, whose identity is not public, said.</p> <p>“Because the issue of Iranian influence [on the Israeli government] has exposed him to pressure, both internally and externally,” he added.</p> <p>Referring to recent instructions by Netanyahu to step up security checks on Israeli officials, the Iranian spy chief said: “This order reveals the truth of the matter.”</p> <p>At a Dec. 17 meeting with Israeli diplomats, Netanyahu had claimed that Israeli agents were waging operations in Iran to prevent it from “achieving its nuclear ambitions”. </p> <p>“We visit Iran periodically in order to see what’s going on there,” the Israeli PM said without elaborating.</p> <p>Israel has long considered Iran one of the primary threats to its national security.