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Beersheva resident indicted for attempting to sell nuclear info to Iran

Doron Buchbaza allegedly contacted Iranian intelligence and offered to sell information regarding Israel’s Dimona nuclear power plant.

Dimona
The nuclear reactor in Dimona, southern Israel. Aug. 13, 2016. Photo by Moshe Shai/Flash90.

A Beersheva resident has been indicted for contacting Iranian intelligence agents and offering to sell them information about Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility, the Israeli Police announced on Sunday.

Doron Buchbaza was arrested last month following a joint investigation by Lahav 433’s National Unit for International Crimes and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). He is accused of initiating contact with Iranian operatives, offering to sell sensitive information and falsely claiming to have access to Israel’s Nuclear Research Center.

The investigation revealed that Buchbaza had carried out several security tasks for Iran over a number of months, including photographing facilities and providing publicly available information to Iranian operatives. He was arrested on suspicion of engaging in espionage for financial gain.

On Sunday, Buchbaza was formally charged with offenses including contact with a foreign agent and supplying information to the enemy. This marks the 16th case of Israeli citizens being charged with contact with the enemy since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023.

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