Latest news with #Khatib
Express Tribune
28 minutes ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Iran to reveal ‘treasure trove' of sensitive Israeli documents, says intelligence minister
Iranian state media reported on Saturday that Iranian intelligence agencies had obtained a large trove of sensitive Israeli documents. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK Listen to article Sensitive Israeli documents obtained by Tehran should be unveiled soon, Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib told state TV on Sunday, describing them as a "treasure trove" which will strengthen Iran's offensive capabilities. Iranian state media reported on Saturday that Iranian intelligence agencies had obtained a large trove of sensitive Israeli documents. Khatib said these were related to Israel's nuclear facilities and its relations with the United States, Europe and other countries, and to its defensive capabilities. There was no immediate official comment from Israel. It was not clear whether the information breach was linked to a reported hacking, opens new tab of an Israeli nuclear research centre last year which Tehran is only disclosing now amid heightened tensions over its nuclear programme. "The transfer of this treasure trove was time-consuming and required security measures. Naturally, the transfer methods will remain confidential but the documents should be unveiled soon," Khatib said, adding that in terms of volume, "talking of thousands of documents would be an understatement." In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israeli agents had seized a huge "archive" of Iranian documents that showed Tehran had done more nuclear work than previously known. US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear programme. But Trump in April reportedly blocked a planned Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites in favour of negotiating a deal with Tehran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that abandoning uranium enrichment was "100%" against Iran's interests, rejecting a central US demand in talks to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Western powers say Iran is refining uranium to a high degree of fissile purity close to the level suitable for atomic bomb fuel. Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran says Israeli ‘treasure trove' of secret documents to be unveiled soon
Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has said sensitive Israeli documents related to its nuclear facilities, its relationship with the United States, Europe and other countries, as well as its defensive capabilities, will be unveiled soon. Khatib told state TV on Sunday that the documents obtained by Tehran were a 'treasure trove' capable of strengthening the nation's offensive posture, but he did not provide any immediate evidence. The Israeli government, which has never revealed details about its nuclear arsenal, said to comprise substantial atomic weapons, making it the only country in the Middle East with nuclear bombs, has not yet commented on the report of the leaked documents. However, there have been arrests of Israelis allegedly spying for Tehran amid its war in Gaza. It was not clear if the materials were connected to a reported hacking of an Israeli nuclear research centre last year. 'The transfer of this treasure trove was time-consuming and required security measures. Naturally, the transfer methods will remain confidential, but the documents should be unveiled soon,' Khatib said. He described the volume as 'talking of thousands of documents would be an understatement'. 'The sheer volume of the materials and the need to securely transfer the entire shipment into the country necessitated a period of media silence,' state broadcaster IRIB reported, citing sources, and adding that the documents had reached 'secure locations'.The latest development comes as part of a broader campaign of covert operations that Iran and Israel have waged against each other for years. While Tehran has accused Tel Aviv of assassinating its nuclear scientists, Israel has blamed Iran for supporting armed groups across the region that target its interests. Iran and Israel exchanged limited strikes in April 2024 after Iran retaliated for Israel's bombing of its embassy in Syria's Damascus, but a war was avoided. Recently, the United States Donald Trump administration has told Israel to stand down on any plans to attack Iranian nuclear sites as negotiations between Washington and Tehran are ongoing. There is also a sharp focus on Iran's nuclear programme following a report last week by the United Nations nuclear watchdog that said Tehran had carried out secret nuclear activities. Iran will likely face censure this week from the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency over these questions about its programme. While Iran has denied wanting to create or have nuclear weapons, it has insisted that it intends to develop nuclear technology for peaceful, civilian purposes. That is a key sticking point in the concurrent Iran-US indirect talks, several rounds of which have been held in Oman and Italy about a possible nuclear deal aimed at resolving a decades-long dispute over its nuclear ambitions. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the current US proposal to abandon its uranium enrichment programme was '100 percent against our interests'. 'The rude and arrogant leaders of America repeatedly demand that we should not have a nuclear programme. Who are you to decide whether Iran should have enrichment?' he said, without mentioning stopping the ongoing talks. Iran's parliament speaker said on Sunday that the latest US proposal for a nuclear deal does not include the lifting of sanctions, state media reported, suggesting negotiations may have hit an impasse.
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First Post
2 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Iran claims seizure of secret documents on Israel's nuclear programme
Iran's intelligence minister claimed without offering evidence Sunday that Tehran seized an 'important treasury' of information regarding Israel's nuclear program, ahead of a week in which the Islamic Republic likely will face new diplomatic pressure over its own program. read more Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib attends the inauguration ceremony of the 6th term of the Assembly of Experts in Tehran, Iran, May 21, 2024. File Image- AP Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib said on Sunday that Iranian authorities had seized an 'important treasury' of information related to Israel's nuclear program, though he provided no supporting evidence for the claim. The statement followed an earlier report on Iranian state television on Saturday, which also alleged that Iranian intelligence had obtained classified documents without offering proof. Israel, widely believed to possess an undeclared nuclear arsenal and the only nuclear-armed state in West Asia, has not confirmed any such espionage operation against it. However, recent arrests of Israeli citizens accused of spying for Iran have emerged amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, Iran is expected to face increased scrutiny this week from the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors over unresolved issues concerning its own nuclear activities. Iran has indicated it will reject a recent proposal from the United States, following five rounds of stalled negotiations, raising the possibility of further escalation in the protracted nuclear dispute. Responding to questions from an Iranian state TV reporter Sunday after a Cabinet meeting, Khatib said members of the Intelligence Ministry 'achieved an important treasury of strategic, operational and scientific intelligence of the Zionist regime and it was transferred into the country with God's help.' He claimed thousands of pages of documents had been obtained and insisted they would be made public soon. Among them were documents related to the U.S., Europe and other countries, he claimed, obtained through 'infiltration' and 'access to the sources.' He did not elaborate on the methods used. However, Khatib, a Shiite cleric, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2022 over directing 'cyber espionage and ransomware attacks in support of Iran's political goals.' For Iran, the claim may be designed to show the public that the theocracy was able to respond to a 2018 Israeli operation that spirited out what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a 'half ton' of documents related to Iran's program. That Israeli announcement came just before President Donald Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew America from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which greatly limited its program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This week, Western nations are expect to go before the IAEA's Board of Governors with a proposal to find Iran in noncompliance with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. It could be the first time in decades — and likely would kick the issue to the U.N. Security Council. That could see one of the Western countries involved in the 2015 nuclear deal invoke the so-called 'snapback' of U.N. sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The authority to reestablish those sanctions by the complaint of any member of the original 2015 nuclear deal expires in October — putting the West on a clock to exert pressure on Tehran over its program before losing that power. Iran now enriches uranium up to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Tehran has enough highly enriched uranium to build multiple atomic bombs should it choose to do so. Without a deal with the U.S., Iran's long-ailing economy could enter a freefall that could worsen the simmering unrest at home. Israel or the U.S. might carry out long-threatened airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. Experts fear Tehran in response could decide to fully end its cooperation with the IAEA and rush toward a bomb. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Sensitive Israeli documents obtained by Iran to be unveiled soon, minister says
DUBAI: Sensitive Israeli documents obtained by Tehran should be unveiled soon, Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib told state TV on Sunday, describing them as a 'treasure trove' which will strengthen Iran's offensive capabilities. Iranian state media reported on Saturday that Iranian intelligence agencies had obtained a large trove of sensitive Israeli documents. Khatib said these were related to Israel's nuclear facilities and its relations with the United States, Europe and other countries, and to its defensive capabilities. There was no immediate official comment from Israel. It was not clear whether the information breach was linked to a reported hacking of an Israeli nuclear research centre last year which Tehran is only disclosing now amid heightened tensions over its nuclear programme. 'The transfer of this treasure trove was time-consuming and required security measures. Naturally, the transfer methods will remain confidential but the documents should be unveiled soon,' Khatib said, adding that in terms of volume, 'talking of thousands of documents would be an understatement.' In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israeli agents had seized a huge 'archive' of Iranian documents that showed Tehran had done more nuclear work than previously known. Iran accuses Israel's Netanyahu of 'dictating' US policy in nuclear talks U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear programme. But Trump in April reportedly blocked a planned Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear sites in favour of negotiating a deal with Tehran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that abandoning uranium enrichment was '100%' against Iran's interests, rejecting a central U.S. demand in talks to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Western powers say Iran is refining uranium to a high degree of fissile purity close to the level suitable for atomic bomb fuel. Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons.
Politico
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Iran claims without evidence that it took Israeli nuclear files
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran's intelligence minister claimed without offering evidence Sunday that Tehran seized an 'important treasury' of information regarding Israel's nuclear program, ahead of a week in which the Islamic Republic likely will face new diplomatic pressure over its own program. The remarks by Esmail Khatib follow Iranian state television claiming Saturday that Iranian intelligence officials seized documents, again without any evidence. Israel, whose undeclared atomic weapons program makes it the only country in the Mideast with nuclear bombs, has not acknowledged any such Iranian operation targeting it — though there have been arrests of Israelis allegedly spying for Tehran amid the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Iran, meanwhile, will likely face censure this week from the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency over longstanding questions about its program. Iran has also signaled it will reject a proposal from the United States after five rounds of negotiations over its nuclear program — setting the stage for that long-running crisis to potentially spike as well. Responding to questions from an Iranian state TV reporter Sunday after a Cabinet meeting, Khatib said members of the Intelligence Ministry 'achieved an important treasury of strategic, operational and scientific intelligence of the Zionist regime and it was transferred into the country with God's help.' He claimed thousands of pages of documents had been obtained and insisted they would be made public soon. Among them were documents related to the U.S., Europe and other countries, he claimed, obtained through 'infiltration' and 'access to the sources.' He did not elaborate on the methods used. However, Khatib, a Shiite cleric, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2022 over directing 'cyber espionage and ransomware attacks in support of Iran's political goals.' For Iran, the claim may be designed to show the public that the theocracy was able to respond to a 2018 Israeli operation that spirited out what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a 'half ton' of documents related to Iran's program. That Israeli announcement came just before President Donald Trump in his first term unilaterally withdrew America from Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which greatly limited its program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. This week, Western nations are expect to go before the IAEA's Board of Governors with a proposal to find Iran in noncompliance with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. It could be the first time in decades — and likely would kick the issue to the U.N. Security Council. That could see one of the Western countries involved in the 2015 nuclear deal invoke the so-called 'snapback' of U.N. sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The authority to reestablish those sanctions by the complaint of any member of the original 2015 nuclear deal expires in October — putting the West on a clock to exert pressure on Tehran over its program before losing that power. Iran now enriches uranium up to 60% purity — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Tehran has enough highly enriched uranium to build multiple atomic bombs should it choose to do so. Without a deal with the U.S., Iran's long-ailing economy could enter a freefall that could worsen the simmering unrest at home. Israel or the U.S. might carry out long-threatened airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. Experts fear Tehran in response could decide to fully end its cooperation with the IAEA and rush toward a bomb.
