Israel’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, has accused the Iranian government of sponsoring Islamic movements in Nigeria as part of a broader strategy to expand its global terrorism network.

Freeman made the allegation during an interview on Arise Television on Friday, specifically naming the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as the Shi’ites, as one of the groups allegedly backed by Tehran.

“We know there are certain movements, for example, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, that are sponsored and backed by the Iranian regime,” the envoy said.

He alleged that Iran’s influence stretches beyond Nigeria, describing the country as a long-standing sponsor of extremist groups targeting Israel and Western interests.

“For 47 years, Iran has had a policy of death to Israel, death to America. Its entire apparatus, its state structure, has been sponsoring terrorism, sponsoring organizations around the world to kill Israelis, Jews, and spread terror,” Freeman said.

He added that Nigeria had also experienced the consequences of such activities.

“Nigeria has been on the receiving end of terrorism from Iran,” he stated.

Freeman’s remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following coordinated United States–Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets, which reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, alongside members of his family.

The development sparked protests earlier in the week in several Nigerian states, where members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria demonstrated in Lagos, Kano, Niger, Sokoto, Gombe, Kaduna, Bauchi and Yobe.

During the protests, demonstrators waved Iranian flags, displayed portraits of Khamenei, and carried placards condemning both the United States and Israel.

The Israeli envoy also accused Iran of backing militant groups including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, describing Tehran as “an international sponsor of terror.”

On Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Freeman argued that military action against the country’s nuclear facilities was justified.

“When a country says that they want to destroy you and they are trying to build a nuclear weapon, it’s absolutely justified. Not only is it justified, it’s a moral obligation,” he said.

Freeman further indicated Israel’s readiness to support Nigeria in addressing any potential security threats, referencing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s offer to cooperate with the Nigerian government on security matters.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mahdavi Raja, on Thursday defended Tehran’s recent missile and drone strikes on United States military bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, describing the attacks as a legitimate act of self-defence.