Latest news with #Persian-language
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Arab Times
Massive Arms Haul Exposes Iran's Direct Role in Yemen Conflict
SANA, July 17: Tariq Saleh, a member of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council and commander of the West Coast forces, announced the interception of a major weapons shipment following monitoring and surveillance conducted by the intelligence division of the National Resistance. According to Saleh, the seized cache included naval and air missile systems, an air defense system, advanced radars, drones, surveillance equipment, anti-tank missiles, B-10 artillery, tracking lenses, sniper rifles, ammunition, and various military hardware. Saleh reaffirmed his commitment to countering the activities of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the region. Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command confirmed that Yemeni forces had confiscated over 750 tons of munitions and military equipment, which included hundreds of sophisticated anti-ship missiles, drones, warheads, radar systems, communications gear, and search devices. Commenting on the development, Yemeni Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani described the seizure as the largest Iranian weapons shipment intercepted to date, destined for the Houthi militia. He added that the presence of Persian-language operating manuals among the cargo underscores Iran's direct role in fueling regional instability. Al-Eryani stressed that the Houthi militia serves merely as a local proxy for the Revolutionary Guard's broader expansionist ambitions deep within Yemeni territory.
Shafaq News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
EU sanctions 8 Iranians, an entity
Shafaq News – Brussels/Tehran On Monday, the European Council imposed sanctions on eight individuals and one entity over what it described as 'serious human rights violations' linked to Iran, including 'extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and transnational repression' targeting dissidents beyond its borders. In a statement, the Council said the sanctioned parties were responsible for 'grave abuses' committed on behalf of Iranian state bodies abroad, particularly against individuals who voiced criticism of the Islamic Republic's policies. The measures were enacted under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. At the center of the sanctions is the Zindashti Network, which the EU identified as a 'criminal organization connected to Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).' The group is accused of orchestrating 'multiple acts of transnational repression,' including the assassination of Iranian dissidents abroad—some reportedly carried out within EU territory. Sanctioned individuals include Naji Ibrahim Sharifi-Zindashti, labeled by the EU as an 'Iranian narcotics trafficker and organized crime boss,' and head of the Zindashti Network. His alleged accomplices — Abdulvahap Kocak, Ali Esfanjani, Ali Kocak, Ekrem Oztunc, and Nihat Asan — were cited for their involvement in the killings of Iranian dissident Mas'ud Molavi Vardanjani and Saeed Karimian, the owner of Persian-language broadcaster Gem TV. The EU also listed Mohammed Ansari, Commander of Unit 840 of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, accusing him of 'ordering the assassination of journalists critical of the Islamic Republic.' Additionally, Reza Hamidiravari, an intelligence officer with the MOIS, was sanctioned for 'overseeing Naji Zindashti's MOIS-directed operations.' Those named are now subject to an asset freeze, a prohibition on making funds or economic resources available to them directly or indirectly, and a travel ban within the European Union.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
More intense and more ... than anything that had come before: How experts 'define' Psychological Warfare between Iran and Israel played on internet
AI Image * Iran sent alerts in Hebrew to thousands of Israeli mobile phones warning recipients to avoid bomb shelters as militants planned to attack those inside * A video on Twitter and messaging app Telegram showed blast at an entrance to Evin prison, which is notorious for holding political prisoners * False images of destroyed B-2 bombers appeared online when President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran's nuclear sites Hours before Israeli forces bombed Evin prison in Tehran on June 23, 2025, Persian-language social media posts urged Iranians to free prisoners, foreshadowing the attack. A video, appearing moments after the strike on Twitter and Telegram, showed a supposed blast at the prison's entrance, notorious for housing political prisoners, accompanied by the hashtag '#freeevin.' According to researchers quoted by The New York Times in the report, these posts and the video were part of an Israeli disinformation campaign, not authentic content. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giá vàng đang tăng mạnh trong năm 2025 — Các nhà giao dịch thông minh đã tham gia IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Over 12 days of conflict, Israel and Iran are reported to have turned social media into a digital battlefield, using AI-driven deception alongside missile strikes that killed hundreds and destabilized the Middle East. Researchers noted an unprecedented intensity in this information warfare, leveraging generative AI and social media's reach to spread propaganda rapidly. 'It's certainly a new era of influence warfare,' said James J.F. Forest, a security studies professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, emphasizing the unmatched scale of modern propaganda. Iran sent Hebrew-language alerts to Israeli phones, warning against using bomb shelters due to supposed militant attacks, while Israel-linked accounts on X used AI-generated content, including a narrated video by an AI-created woman, to undermine Iran's government. Both sides flooded platforms like X, Telegram, YouTube, and TikTok with fabricated images and videos, including manipulated footage of Evin prison and false claims of downed Israeli F-35s or a captured pilot, later debunked by organizations like NewsGuard (The New York Times). What it means for future wars in the US and elsewhere Experts warn that the heavy propaganda and deception offers a preview of what the United States or other nations would almost certainly face in case of war. Case in point are the fake images of destroyed B-2 bombers that appeared online when President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran's deeply buried nuclear sites. "Some question how prepared the United States is, especially with Trump's administration cutting efforts to combat foreign influence operations. U.S. military strategy embraces information operations — which have been known in the Pentagon since 2010 as Military Information Support Operations — but they have often been treated as little more than a supporting role," the report said. Hany Farid, a UC Berkeley professor and co-founder of GetReal Security, contrasted today's tactics with World War II's leaflets and radio broadcasts. 'Now you have a million messages that you send out to a million individuals,' he told New York Times. Despite widespread skepticism, these campaigns, viewed millions of times, aim to shape public perceptions, with Iran targeting regional audiences and Israel seeking to erode confidence in Iran's regime, according to Ari Ben-Am of Telemetry Data Labs. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Business Insider
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
Satellite images show damage at the US base Iran attacked with ballistic missiles — one of which hit it
The Pentagon said on Friday that an Iranian ballistic missile struck a major US military base in Qatar last month, with satellite imagery revealing some damage to equipment at the facility. A June 25 image of Al Udeid Air Base, captured by the US commercial satellite imaging company Planet Labs PBC and reviewed by Business Insider, shows a small circle of scorched earth and damage to an adjacent building. The scorch mark had been the site of a geodesic dome, which can be seen clearly in an image captured just two days earlier. The adjacent building also had no visible damage in the June 23 photo, taken just hours before Iran launched a barrage of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at Al Udeid in retaliation after the US bombed three of Tehran's nuclear facilities. Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesperson, told BI in a statement that an Iranian ballistic missile impacted Al Udeid during the June 23 attack, causing "minimal damage to equipment and structures on the base." It's the first time a US official has acknowledged that Tehran scored a direct hit on the base. However, it's not entirely clear whether the missile damaged the dome and the building or if debris from an interception caused it. The $15 million structure, which encloses secure communications equipment, was installed at Al Udeid in 2016. The modernization enterprise terminal, as the Air Force calls it, provides voice, video, and data services to link troops in the Middle East with military leaders in other regions. The US military said shortly after the attack that the US and Qatari forces "defeated" it using Patriot air defense systems. President Donald Trump said Iran gave him a heads-up about the strike and that 13 of the 14 missiles were shot down — the other one was said to be heading in a "nonthreatening direction." US officials had previously acknowledged the possibility that there may have been damage at Al Udeid. "We're aware that something — there are reports of something getting through," Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters a few days after the attack. "What we do know is there was a lot of metal flying around," Caine said. "Between attacking missiles being hit by Patriots, boosters from attacking missiles being hit by Patriots, the Patriots themselves flying around, and the debris from those Patriots hitting the ground, there was a lot of metal flying around, and yet our US air defenders had only seconds to make complex decisions with strategic impact." Iran International, a Persian-language TV channel based in the UK, first reported on the satellite imagery of the damage at Al Udeid. Overall, the attack on Al Udeid did not cause significant damage and was relatively limited in nature, suggesting that Iran may have been aiming to avoid further escalation with the US. "There were no injuries," said Parnell, whose remarks were first reported by Air & Space Forces Magazine. "Al Udeid Air Base remains fully operational and capable of conducting its mission, alongside our Qatari partners, to provide security and stability in the region." Last month's strikes against Al Udeid came shortly before Israel and Iran reached a ceasefire to end 12 days of trading attacks against each other. Israeli forces carried out sweeping airstrikes against Iran's nuclear and military sites and targeted a number of senior commanders. Tehran retaliated by launching hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel. The status of Iran's nuclear program remains in question, with varying assessments of how far it has been set back by American and Israeli strikes.
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First Post
10-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
UK faces escalating threat from Iran comparable to Russia, warns parliamentary report
Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee findings have revealed that UK is priority target for cyber and physical attacks as well as assassinations, according to a report read more Iran's campaign of intimidation, including threats of physical violence and assassination against Iranian dissidents in the UK, is similar to the scale of the threat posed by Russia, according to The Guardian report, citing Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee's (ISC) findings. Released on Thursday, the report also identifies the UK as a high-priority target for Iranian cyber operations, ranking just behind the United States and Saudi Arabia. The ISC notes that those behind the cyberattacks range from state-directed operatives to private individuals acting for personal profit or in alignment with perceived state objectives. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It also warns that the UK's financial sector and petrochemical infrastructure remain particularly vulnerable to potential Iranian cyber threats, added the report. The committee's evidence-gathering concluded in August 2023, before the May arrests of five Iranians suspected of plotting a terrorist act. According to the report, citing Home Office, the sharp rise in threats against Iranian dissidents in the UK —many employed by Persian-language broadcasters — coincided with their coverage of the anti-regime protests following Mahsa Amini's death in Iranian custody in September 2022. The report does not address the domestic impact of Israeli strikes on Iranian targets or the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. ISC reports are often delayed due to extended government review, though the prime minister can only confirm the absence of national security risks, not alter the content. But the report will feed into an inquiry – announced in March by the security minister, Dan Jarvis, and conducted by Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation – into a new proscription mechanism surrounding state-sponsored terrorism. Jarvis also announced that Iran, including its intelligence agencies, the IRGC, and the Ministry of Intelligence, had been placed on the enhanced tier of the UK's foreign influence registration scheme. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Under this, anyone acting on Iran's behalf, including criminal proxies, must register their activities or face up to five years in prison, reported The Guardian. The ISC criticises the UK's Iran policy as reactive and narrowly focused on nuclear concerns, neglecting broader threats. The committee blames bureaucratic inefficiencies, lack of long-term strategy, and limited expertise — highlighting one witness's remark: 'If you have people running policy in the Foreign Office who don't speak a word of Persian, that is a fat lot of good.' The report says legal and practical challenges have stalled any move to proscribe state bodies like the IRGC, noting such action could implicate around a quarter of Iran's cabinet. Iran is described as a pragmatic regime driven by survival, using asymmetric tactics and regional proxy networks to expand influence and deter conflict. Since 2022, MI5 has disrupted 20 Iran-linked plots posing potentially lethal threats to UK citizens and residents. In his March statement, The Guardian quoted Jarvis as saying: 'The Iranian regime is targeting dissidents and media organisations and journalists reporting on the violent oppression of the regime. 'It is also no secret that there is a longstanding pattern of targeting Jewish and Israeli people internationally by the Iranian intelligence services. It is clear that these plots are a conscious strategy of the Iranian regime to stifle criticism through intimidation and fear.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Kevan Jones, who is also known as Lord Beamish and is chair of the ISC, said Iran posed a 'wide-ranging, persistent and unpredictable threat to the UK, UK nationals, and UK interests', adding: 'Iran has a high appetite for risk when conducting offensive activity and its intelligence services are ferociously well-resourced. 'It supplements this with its use of proxy groups – including criminal networks, militant and terrorist organisations, and private cyber actors – to provide it with a deniable means of attacking its adversaries with minimal risk of retaliation.' With inputs from agencies
