Turkish police officers. File photoTEL AVIV, June 23 Turkish intelligence has prevented a terrorist attack against Israelis in Istanbul, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara. «In the last weeks of the life of Israeli citizens were saved thanks to the security and diplomatic cooperation between Israel and Turkey. Just today, it was published that Turkish intelligence recently uncovered an Iranian plot in Istanbul. And these efforts continue. We are full of gratitude to the Turkish government for this professional and coordinated activity,» Lapid said at the a press conference broadcast by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. According to Lapid, Iran is behind the terrorist attacks. «Iran is behind these terrorist attacks. Intelligence leaves us in no doubt about that,» he said. Israeli media reported on Thursday, citing Turkish intelligence services, that the target of the attacks was to be a former Israeli diplomat and his wife, who were staying at a hotel in Istanbul. The Jerusalem Post notes that last Friday, Turkish intelligence and local police arrested about ten suspects at the Sol Hotel and three other rented apartments in the Istanbul area. />Lavrov called Israel's attack on the airport in Damascus a serious incidentIn addition, the minister said that in the past year, great progress has been made in relations between Turkey and Israel. «We have begun negotiations on the return of ambassadors in the near future, on improving our economic and political dialogue. I hope that we will complete these steps soon,» the minister said during a press conference. Lapid is on a visit to Turkey on Thursday.
