'Life is full of unexpected surprises': The mystery of Iran's robotic voice calls amid blackout
As
Iran
reels from escalating conflict and sweeping internet restrictions, a new and deeply unsettling phenomenon has gripped the
Iranian diaspora
: calls to loved ones inside the country are being intercepted by robotic, pre-recorded voice messages. This bizarre development, first widely reported after a nationwide internet blackout, has left families anxious, experts puzzled, and the world asking—who is really behind the voice on the line?
'Life is full of unexpected surprises, and while some of these can bring joy, others may present challenges.' For Iranians and their families, the greatest challenge now is simply being heard.
A disturbing new reality for Iranians abroad
Since Wednesday, Iranians living in the UK, U.S., and across Europe have described a surreal experience: dialing family members' mobile numbers in Iran, only to be greeted by a mechanical voice. The message, sometimes in English and sometimes in
Farsi
, ranges from eerily philosophical to outright nonsensical.
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It urges the listener to 'close your eyes and imagine a peaceful place'.
Other callers have encountered a more stilted, AI-generated voice with not so perfect English being heard speaking: 'Alo? Alo? Who is calling? I can't heard you. Who you want to speak with? I'm Alyssia. Do you remember me? I think I don't know who are you'.
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For many, the experience is not just unsettling—it's terrifying. 'Calling your mom and expecting to hear her voice and hearing an AI voice is one of the scariest things I've ever experienced,' said a 30-year-old woman in New York.
Who is behind the voice?
The origins and purpose of the robotic messages remain shrouded in mystery. Five telecommunications and cybersecurity experts who reviewed recordings for AP offered several theories:
Government Control: Four out of five experts believe the Iranian government is likely responsible, using the messages as a tool to restrict, monitor, or confuse communications during a period of heightened
security
concerns. Iranian cybersecurity specialists suggest the diversions may also serve to prevent hacking attempts or sow confusion among the population.
Foreign Interference: One expert posited that Israel or another foreign actor could be behind the calls, as a form of
psychological warfare
.
Technical Explanation:
Alp Toker
, director of NetBlocks, explained that during internet outages, calls may be redirected to a default gateway message. The content, he noted, appears hastily generated using text-to-speech or AI, and is likely a standard fallback when calls cannot be completed.
Notably, neither the Iranian nor Israeli governments have commented on the phenomenon, and the true source remains unconfirmed.
The human toll: isolation and helplessness
The timing of these messages is critical. They began as Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, prompting retaliatory missile and drone strikes from Iran. In response, the Iranian government imposed a sweeping internet blackout, cutting off WhatsApp and other messaging services. With digital communication down, families turned to direct phone calls—only to find this new barrier.
For many, the inability to reach family is more than an inconvenience. Ellie, a British-Iranian, described her desperation to contact her diabetic mother in Tehran, who was running low on insulin and trapped on the city's outskirts. 'I don't know why they're doing this,' she said, her voice breaking.
As of Saturday, NetBlocks reported that international internet access was partially restored in some regions after 62 hours of severe disruption. Yet, overall connectivity remains below normal, and many Iranians—both inside and outside the country—are still struggling to reconnect with family and access independent information.
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