Tel Aviv’s ‘Iranian embassy’ turns out to be atomic hoax

TEL AVIV - Agence France-Presse

A woman walks past a large billboard depicting both national flags of Israel (R) and Iran reading ‘The Iranian embassy in Israel will open soon’ in central Tel Aviv on August 27, 2015. The giant poster announcing the opening of an Iranian embassy in Tel Aviv was revealed to be a PR campaign for an Israeli comic film “Atomic Falafel” about the Iranian nuclear threat. AFP Photo

A billboard in central Tel Aviv announcing the opening of an Iranian embassy that met with disbelief and curiosity turned out to be a hoax, organizers of the eye-catching stunt have said.

“Opening here soon - Embassy of Iran in Israel,” proclaimed the five-story tall hoarding emblazoned with the Iranian and Israeli flags this week.  

Posts on Facebook suggested that the billboard could be an art installation or a private peace campaign by Israelis of Iranian descent.

But the truth was revealed as a massive publicity stunt in a statement on Aug. 27 from the makers of a new Israeli film comedy about a nuclear conflict between Tehran and the Jewish state.

“Mystery solved!” it said, announcing “the upcoming launch of [director] Dror Shaul’s new film ‘Atomic Falafel’ an atomic comedy.”

Opening locally on Sept. 10, its producer Avraham Pirchi calls it “a satirical comedy mocking ultra-militarism.”   
Israel and Iran severed diplomatic relations in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution which overthrew Iran’s pro-Western shah and installed a theocratic regime which did not recognize Israel.

The Jewish State vehemently opposes the nuclear deal reached in mid-July between Iran and major powers which will lead to the lifting of economic sanctions against Tehran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes the agreement is not strict enough to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons which it could use against Israel and reserved the right to stage a pre-emptive strike if necessary.