Iran’s Intelligence Ministry claims to have found a TV studio in Tel Aviv belonging to London-based anti-regime outlet Iran International, and published photographs of contributor’s residences.
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry claimed to have found a broadcast studio belonging to London-based anti-regime outlet Iran International in Tel Aviv, Iranian media reported this week.
The ministry also claimed to have identified “a number of individuals working at, or with,” the outlet, as well as their alleged residences.
These include several Israelis of Iranian heritage or birth, including the IDF‘s Persian-language spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Kamal Penhasi.
Iran International is designated as a “terrorist broadcaster” by Tehran, which alleges that it works alongside Mossad to “destabilize” the Islamic Republic.
No independent source has verified the accuracy of the information Tehran appears to have gathered.
An illustration of a cyber hacker and the Iranian flag. (credit: PX Media/Shutterstock)
Iran’s espionage and cyber-activist networks are active in working to destabilize Israel. This included a cyberattack on Shamir Medical Center, which led to the leaks of hospital emails, including patient information, on Yom Kippur earlier this month.
Israel’s National Cyber Directorate linked this attack to Iranian agents on Wednesday, confirming that the attack was contained before the hospital’s central medical record system could be compromised.
Several Israeli citizens, residents caught spying for Iran in recent months
Israeli individuals have also been caught spying on behalf of Iranian agents in recent months.
These include a 23-year-old Israeli who works at a hotel at the Dead Sea, who was arrested in early October.
Another notable example is Israeli-American Yaakov Perl, who was indicted in September for carrying out documentation and monitoring of Israeli officials’ residences on behalf of an Iranian handler.
Maor Kringel and Tal Amram were arrested by Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) in September for photographing sensitive locations in exchange for cryptocurrency payments from an Iranian handler.
Elimelech Stern, a 22-year-old yeshiva student from Beit Shemesh, also worked with an Iranian handler to carry out acts on behalf of an Iranian agent.
Sarah Ben-Nun, Dr. Itay Gal, Hodaya Ran, Maya Cohen, Jerusalem Post Staff, and TPS contributed to this report.