Former Barzani Charity Foundation founder falsely depicted as Mossad agent: family

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The family of Aziz Sheikh Raza, in a statement on Wednesday rejected disinformation against Shex Aziz Raza from Rania, who was depicted by the Aletejah TV channel, operated by Kata'ib Hezbollah, as former Mossad officer Eliezer Tsafrir.

Sheikh Hasan Sheikh Riza Basereyi said in his statement on behalf of the family of Sheikh Aziz Sheikh Riza, rejected the fake news. “They don't know that Sheikh Aziz passed away 5 years ago."

"My brother Sheikh Aziz is a founding member of the Barzani Charity Foundation and was the head of the Barzani Charity Foundation from 2005 to 2017,” he underlined.

As part of disinformation and misinformation operation against Kurdistan Region & KDP, The Kataib Hibzulla backed channel AL-Itijah made an interview in which it was claimed that these photos are the photo of former Israeli agent Aliezier with KDP leadership. It is pity to see… pic.twitter.com/jzpHEE5Nsg

— Dr. Hemn Hawrami (@heminhawrami) January 21, 2024

Hemin Hawrami, a member of the KDP Politburo, on Jan. 21 tweeted that “it is a pity to see this low level of dirty games. The person they referred to is actually Shex Aziz Raza from Rania.”

“Aziz Shex Raza was a well known individual in Kurdistan who served  in our revolutions and from a religious family in Rania.”

Since the Jan. 15 Iranian ballistic missile attacks on a private residence, where at least four civilians were killed while six others were wounded, disinformation against the Kurdistan Region has increased, claiming a Mossad base was targeted in the Iranian strike.

Read More: Iranian media publish photoshopped images of missile attack victim

Both the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi Government have rejected Iranian claims that there was a Mossad base in Erbil, including the Iraqi National Security Advisor Qassem al-Araji.

Moreover, Iranian government-linked media published photoshopped pictures of Peshraw Dizayee with a Russian Jewish rabbi and fighters of the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), later Press TV deleted the pictures, after Kurdistan24 uncovered the original pictures on the Facebook of Tasa Elite Company.

The Tasnim News Agency later said it was not the primary source of the photoshopped picture and while not deleting the image nor allegations against Dizayee.

Moreover, the Iranian Mehr News Agency also falsely claimed that alleged 'Mossad agent’ Elan Nissim, who is the head of the Tasa Elite network group, was killed in the attack. Nissim, himself continued to make posts on the Facebook page of Tasa Elite, and ridiculed posts claiming his death.

Read More: ‘Photoshopping’ to justify attacks is not a state’s behavior, says KRG foreign relations

“Several allegations, lies, and excuses have been made through photoshopping and other methods to hide the crime,” Safeen Dizayee, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Foreign Relations Department and a relative of the slain businessman, told reporters earlier this week, adding the methods “are not what is expected from a state.”

The official account of the U.S. State Department- Near Eastern Affairs on Jan. 23 also said in a post on X that "Iran knows, Iraq knows, and the world knows: Iran’s reckless missile attack in Erbil killed 4 civilians, including an infant and wounded 17."

"We stand with Iraq, which called the Iranian regime’s claims that it targeted a Mossad headquarters entirely baseless. Again, we offer condolences."

"Now, Iranian propagandists are doctoring photos and spreading disinformation to support their claim, just the latest reminder that the Iranian regime will not hesitate to lie in order to cover up its destabilizing behavior."

Moreove, the Duhok Governor Ali Tatar on a seminar on Wednesday said that "Iran wants to harm the economic interests of the Kurdistan Region by targeting businessmen and investors."

"All security committees that visited the site of the attack emphasized that the targeted building was a civilian residence and not an intelligence agency of a foreign country."

He also added that Iran does not dare to target countries that have relations with Israel, instead targeting the Kurdistan Region.