Iran Issues Public Spy Warning
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a nationwide warning urging citizens to resist espionage recruitment efforts following a 12-day military assault by Israel. The warning comes amid a crackdown in which Tehran arrested suspected spies accused of working with foreign security services.
The message specifically cautioned the public against enemy attempts to infiltrate through mobile phone applications and digital propaganda. The appeal follows direct attacks on Iranian soil, cyber warfare, and domestic sabotage widely attributed to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.
Newsweek has reached out the foreign ministries of Iran and Israel for comment.
Why It Matters
Iran's public warning about foreign spy recruitment through mobile apps follows the intense Israeli air campaign inside Iran, which also saw the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites. This connection highlights a new front in the conflict that now blends physical strikes with cyber and espionage warfare targeting civilians. As Iran braces against both external military pressure and internal digital threats, the warning reflects a broader challenge facing nations globally in an era of hybrid warfare.
A member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard stands guard at Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) square in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
A member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard stands guard at Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) square in downtown Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
Vahid Salemi/AP Photo
What To Know
The IRGC's public message emphasized "coordinated efforts by foreign spy services to recruit Iranians through mobile applications and digital ads." The statement urged citizens not only to avoid such messages but also to "alert others to the threat." While no country was explicitly named, it makes clear that Israel and its allies are the intended targets.
Posted in Farsi on X, Iran's ISNA news agency published the IRGC warning, which also stated that "compatriots should vigilantly reject these tactics and inform others as well."
پیام سازمان اطلاعات سپاه: با توجه به افزایش تلاش سرویسهای -جاسوسی دشمن بوسیله تبلیغات گسترده روی برنامههای گوشی همراه و دعوت به همکاری و خیانت به کشور، هموطنان با هوشیاری، این ترفندها را رد و دیگران را نیز آگاه کنندhttps://t.co/iOy1Vxt7Zj pic.twitter.com/NGPkl16BvI — خبرگزاری ایسنا (@isna_farsi) July 22, 2025
Spy Crackdown
Since Israel's attack on June 13, and continuing after the ceasefire declared on June 24, Iranian authorities have launched a campaign to shore up domestic security. Iran has detained more than 700 individuals accused of collaborating with Israel or other hostile foreign governments. The crackdown has included mass arrests, swift trials, and multiple executions involving alleged spies.
Israeli Fears
Meanwhile, the Israeli government has launched its own media campaign warning citizens against being lured into espionage by Iran. Announced by Israel's National Government Diplomacy Directorate, the campaign—titled "Easy Money, Heavy Cost"—features video and audio messages cautioning that the legal consequences of spying for Tehran far outweigh any minor financial reward. The ads are set to run across radio, websites, and major social media platforms.
Over the past year, Israeli authorities say they uncovered over 25 Iranian recruitment cases and indicted more than 35 Israelis on serious charges.
What People Are Saying
IRGC Intelligence Organization: "Please take action to inform those around you and be vigilant regarding this enemy tactic."
Israel's National Government Diplomacy Directorate: "The Iranian enemy is expected to further intensify its recruitment efforts and task execution within Israel."
What Happens Next
In the wake of military strikes and internal arrests, Iran is expected to ramp up surveillance, expand digital monitoring, and strengthen security measures as its conflict with Israel and the U.S. intensifies on both foreign and domestic fronts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
US envoy tells Israeli hostage families he's working to end war: ‘We have a very, very good plan'
President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy told families of hostages being held by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday that he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. Trump has made ending the conflict a major priority of his administration, though negotiations have faltered. Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave. 6 President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff met with families of Israelis held hostage by Palestinian militants. AFP via Getty Images In a recording of the meeting, reviewed by Reuters, Witkoff is heard saying: 'We have a very, very good plan that we're working on collectively with the Israeli government, with Prime Minister Netanyahu … for the reconstruction of Gaza. That effectively means the end of the war.' The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his remarks. Witkoff also said that Hamas was prepared to disarm in order to end the war, though the group has repeatedly said it will not lay down its weapons. In response, Hamas, which has dominated Gaza since 2007 but has been militarily battered by Israel in the war, said it would not relinquish 'armed resistance' unless an 'independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital' was established. Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza war and deal for the release of half the hostages ended last week in deadlock. 6 Families Israeli hostages demonstrated in Tel Aviv's 'Hostage' square during Witkoff's visit. AFP via Getty Images On Saturday, Hamas released its second video in two days of Israeli hostage Evyatar David. In it, David, skeletally thin, is shown digging a hole, which, he says in the video, is for his own grave. 'They are on the absolute brink of death,' David's brother Ilay said at a rally in support of the hostages in Tel Aviv, where thousands gathered holding posters of those in captivity and chanted for their immediate release. 'In the current unimaginable condition, they may have only days left to live.' 6 Hamas forced emaciated Israeli hostage Evyatar David to dig his own grave in a recent propaganda video. Al-Qassam Brigade Footage 6 This poster showed a portrait of David before the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. AFP via Getty Images Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar said the 'world cannot remain silent in the face of the difficult images that are the result of deliberate sadistic abuse of the hostages, which also includes starvation.' Witkoff, who arrived in Israel with Benjamin Netanyahu's government facing a global outcry over the devastation in Gaza and the starvation growing among its 2.2 million people, met the prime minister on Thursday. Afterwards, a senior Israeli official said an understanding between Israel and Washington was emerging that there was a need to move from a plan to release some of the hostages to a plan to release all the hostages, disarm Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip, echoing Israel's key demands for ending the war. GAZA STARVATION On Tuesday, Qatar and Egypt, who are mediating ceasefire efforts, endorsed a declaration by France and Saudi Arabia outlining steps toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As part of it, they said Hamas must hand over its arms to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. 6 US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee visited the the Gaza Strip on Thursday. via REUTERS The crisis in Gaza has also prompted a string of Western powers to announce they may recognize a Palestinian state. On Friday, Witkoff visited a US-backed aid operation in southern Gaza, which the United Nations has partly blamed for deadly conditions in the enclave, saying he sought to get food and other aid to people there. Dozens have died of malnutrition in recent weeks after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March to May, according to Gaza's health ministry. 6 Israeli forces have killed hundreds of hungry Palestinians waiting for aid outside US-backed food distribution points, the UN's rights office said, AFP via Getty Images It said on Saturday that it had recorded seven more fatalities, including a child, since Friday. Israel blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza and says it is taking steps for more aid to reach its population, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas, air drops and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. U.N. agencies have said that airdrops of food are insufficient and that Israel must let in far more aid by land and quickly ease the access to it. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. According to Israeli officials, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
CNBC
3 hours ago
- CNBC
India to maintain Russian oil imports despite Trump threats, government sources say
India will keep purchasing oil from Russia despite U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of penalties, two Indian government sources told Reuters on Saturday, not wishing to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. On top of a new 25% tariff on India's exports to the U.S., Trump indicated in a Truth Social post last month that India would face additional penalties for purchases of Russian arms and oil. On Friday, Trump told reporters he had heard that India would no longer be buying oil from Russia. But the sources said there would be no immediate changes. "These are long-term oil contracts," one of the sources said. "It is not so simple to just stop buying overnight." Justifying India's oil purchases from Russia, a second source said India's imports of Russian grades had helped avoid a global surge in oil prices, which have remained subdued despite Western curbs on the Russian oil sector. Unlike Iranian and Venezuelan oil, Russian crude is not subject to direct sanctions, and India is buying it below the current price cap fixed by the European Union, the source said. The New York Times also quoted two unnamed senior Indian officials on Saturday as saying there had been no change in Indian government policy. Indian government authorities did not respond to Reuters' request for official comment on its oil purchasing intentions. However, during a regular press briefing on Friday, foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has a "steady and time-tested partnership" with Russia. "On our energy sourcing requirements ... we look at what is there available in the markets, what is there on offer, and also what is the prevailing global situation or circumstances," he said. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump, who has made ending Russia's war in Ukraine a priority of his administration since returning to office this year, has expressed growing impatience with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks. He has threatened 100% tariffs on U.S. imports from countries that buy Russian oil unless Moscow reaches a major peace deal with Ukraine. Russia is the leading supplier to India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, accounting for about 35% of its overall supplies. India imported about 1.75 million barrels per day of Russian oil from January to June this year, up 1% from a year ago, according to data provided to Reuters by sources. But while the Indian government may not be deterred by Trump's threats, sources told Reuters this week that Indian state refiners stopped buying Russian oil after July discounts narrowed to their lowest since 2022 - when sanctions were first imposed on Moscow - due to lower Russian exports and steady demand. Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Mangalore Refinery Petrochemical Ltd have not sought Russian crude in the past week or so, four sources told Reuters. Nayara Energy - a refinery majority-owned by Russian entities, including oil major Rosneft, and major buyer of Russian oil - was recently sanctioned by the EU. Nayara's chief executive resigned following the sanctions, and three vessels laden with oil products from Nayara Energy have yet to discharge their cargoes, hindered by the new EU sanctions, Reuters reported last week.
CNBC
4 hours ago
- CNBC
U.S. envoy tells Israeli hostage families he is working on plan to end Gaza War
U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy told families of hostages being held by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday that he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. Trump has made ending the conflict a major priority of his administration, though negotiations have faltered. Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave. In a recording of the meeting, reviewed by Reuters, Witkoff is heard saying: "We have a very, very good plan that we're working on collectively with the Israeli government, with Prime Minister Netanyahu ... for the reconstruction of Gaza. That effectively means the end of the war." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his remarks. Witkoff also said that Hamas was prepared to disarm in order to end the war, though the group has repeatedly said it will not lay down its weapons. In response, Hamas, which has dominated Gaza since 2007 but has been militarily battered by Israel in the war, said it would not relinquish "armed resistance" unless an "independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital" was established. Indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed at securing a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza war and deal for the release of half the hostages ended last week in deadlock. On Saturday, Hamas released its second video in two days of Israeli hostage Evyatar David. In it, David, skeletally thin, is shown digging a hole, which, he says in the video, is for his own grave. "They are on the absolute brink of death," David's brother Ilay said at a rally in support of the hostages in Tel Aviv, where thousands gathered holding posters of those in captivity and chanted for their immediate release. "In the current unimaginable condition, they may have only days left to live." Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa'ar said the "world cannot remain silent in the face of the difficult images that are the result of deliberate sadistic abuse of the hostages, which also includes starvation". Witkoff, who arrived in Israel with Benjamin Netanyahu's government facing a global outcry over the devastation in Gaza and the starvation growing among its 2.2 million people, met the prime minister on Thursday. Afterwards, a senior Israeli official said an understanding between Israel and Washington was emerging that there was a need to move from a plan to release some of the hostages to a plan to release all the hostages, disarm Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip, echoing Israel's key demands for ending the war. On Tuesday, Qatar and Egypt, who are mediating ceasefire efforts, endorsed a declaration by France and Saudi Arabia outlining steps toward a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As part of it, they said Hamas must hand over its arms to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. The crisis in Gaza has also prompted a string of Western powers to announce they may recognise a Palestinian state. On Friday, Witkoff visited a U.S.-backed aid operation in southern Gaza, which the United Nations has partly blamed for deadly conditions in the enclave, saying he sought to get food and other aid to people there. Dozens have died of malnutrition in recent weeks after Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for nearly three months from March to May, according to Gaza's health ministry. It said on Saturday that it had recorded seven more fatalities, including a child, since Friday. Israel blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza and says it is taking steps for more aid to reach its population, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas, air drops and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. U.N. agencies have said that airdrops of food are insufficient and that Israel must let in far more aid by land and quickly ease the access to it. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. According to Israeli officials, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
