Iran: Israeli accusation of Iranian plot to harm Israelis in Istanbul 'ridiculous'

Iran said on Friday that Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid's accusation of an Iranian plot to harm Israelis in Istanbul was "ridiculous" and aimed at damaging Iranian-Turkish relations.

At a news conference in Ankara on Thursday, Lapid thanked his host Turkey for helping abort a suspected Iranian plot against Israelis in Istanbul and said the effort was still underway.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh was quoted in a ministry tweet as saying Lapid's "ridiculous" allegation was a "pre-designed scenario to destroy relations between the two Muslim countries", referring to Turkey and Iran.