President appoints official tied to 2022 crackdown as Tehran governor

They were also accused of sharing information about Israel’s air defense system, the Iron Dome, and the Hadera power plant, sharing intelligence directly with Iran.

The team, who lived in northern Israel, had been paid thousands of dollars, also in crypto, according to Israel’s Shin Bet.

Israel Police named the Jewish suspects as Aziz Nisanov, Alexander Sedikov, Vyacheslav Goshchin, Yevgeny Yufa, Yigal Nisan and two minors.

“The investigation revealed that for over two years, the suspects have been carrying out a series of different security missions for the Iranian intelligence agencies, under the direction of two agents from the Iranian intelligence - Alkhan and Oran, while the members of the infrastructure are aware that the information they pass on to the agents harms the security of the state, and in some cases can even assist the enemy in a missile attack,” the statement detailed.

The group carried out hundreds of information gathering tasks on IDF bases throughout the country, with an emphasis on air force and navy bases, ports, locations of Iron Dome defense systems and energy infrastructures.

“The activity included photographing and documenting the various sites that the members of the infrastructure handed over to the agents,” the statement added, the team given advanced and dedicated equipment that they had purchased ahead of time, all under the guidance of the Iranian agents.

The cell was also asked to collect information about a number of Israeli citizens with the view of them being future targets.

An indictment is expected to be filed by the prosecutor's office in the coming days.

Ronen Solomon, an Israeli intelligence analyst, said it is likely communication from Iran was done in Azeri language. "It is one of the tools of Iran's Unit 840 and IRGC Unit 4000," he said. "But how they managed to work under the radar for two years is something crazy," he said.

Israel’s state attorney's office stressed that "this is one of the most serious cases investigated in recent years."

Asher Ben Artzi, Israel's former head of Interpol, told Iran International: "I never in my life thought I would see something like this. Assisting an enemy during war, I am in shock."

After decades in the security service, he said the incident will send shockwaves through the tight-knit country of just 10 million. "It's a betrayal," he said. "It's the worst thing that a citizen can do.

Ben Artzi said the operation highlighted the sophisticated nature of Iranian intelligence, targeting "weak links" in Israel, immigrants who are more economically challenged and less integrated into Jewish life.

"They have blood on their hands," he said, as he says the cell gave information about the elite Golani unit's army base attack by Hezbollah this month, which led to the deaths of five soldiers with dozens more injured.

"I'm not sure this is the end of the story," Ben Artzi warned, expecting more such cases in the future.

It’s the latest such case in a series over recent weeks. While Iran has been trying to recruit Israelis for over a decade, the incidence of arrests has increased since the Gaza war when Iran-backed Hamas invaded Israel. Since then, Iran's proxies have been targeting Israel across its borders.

Most recently, arrests were made in two cases of Russian-Israeli citizens linked to Iran. They, like the Azerbaijanis, had come to Israel under the law of return which allows Jews around the world to immigrate to the world’s only Jewish state.

Yaron Binyamin, from unit Lahav 433, told Ynet News that "this is one of the most serious security incidents that have been investigated here,” adding that “there is a very high possibility that the main clause will be aiding the enemy in war, for which the penalty is death or life imprisonment.”

He said that the barrage of 181 ballistic missiles was able to have impacts due to the intelligence shared by the Azerbaijani team whose motive was “a thirst for money”.

The arrest of the suspects took place during a photo mission in the south of Israel. Binyamin said the relationship with Iran was managed through a Turkish intermediary named Alhassan.

He added that all the suspects were aware that they were working for Iran. "They knew they were carrying out the tasks for an enemy country, so the punishment expected of them will be particularly severe.”

Minister Micky Zohar called for the threat of the death penalty as the state faces a new and unprecedented threat from within.

On Monday he told Channel 12 in Israel "the phenomenon of traitors to the country and harming Israel's security for the sake of money while we are fighting for our future .... requires the application of extremely harsh measures, including a death penalty law for aiding the enemy in wartime."

In 1954, Israel abolished the death penalty for murder but kept it in place for war crimes, though since the establishment of the state in 1948, has enacted the death penalty only once, for Nazi Adolf Eichmann.

According to the Kyiv Independent, Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least four people and injured at least 37 over the past day, including a child.

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 59 of the 116 Iranian Shahed drones launched by Russia overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said.

Russia’s drone attacks using Iranian-made UAVs have led to global sanctions on Tehran, for having targeted civilian areas.

"Another night, another worry," Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on Telegram. "The enemy does not reduce the intensity of air attacks on Ukraine and Kyiv.”

Russia also attacked Ukraine with an Iskander-M or North Korean KN-23 ballistic missile, one Kh-35 guided aerial missile, and one Kh-31P guided aerial missile, according to the Kyiv Independent.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko wrote on Telegram that shrapnel from around 10 downed drones landed in three main districts of the capital. Multiple buildings and power cables suffered damage in addition to casualties.

According to the Atlantic Council’s February analysis, Russia’s capacity as a leading weapons exporter has been damaged by the more than two years of war on Ukraine, meaning Iran has “become more dominant and attractive in the eyes of countries that previously depended on Russia’s supply of military equipment”.

However, with collaboration between Iran and Russia deepening, from military exercises to building a drone factory, the Atlantic Council report by Danny Citrinowicz said that “the current situation can create a joint venture between Iran and Russia that may increase their conventional mutual arms sales due to their high production capabilities”.

Citrinowicz said that Iran has sold more than two thousand drones to Russia alone until 2024, making millions of dollars from the sales, in spite of both nations being heavily sanctioned. Current estimates of drone deliveries range from 4-8 thousand units.

“Iran has no political or legal restrictions that prevent it from selling these weapons around the world; it is apparently not afraid that these products will fall into the hands of dangerous foreign parties,” he warned.

However, it is not only drones which Iran is exporting. Earlier this month, the EU sanctioned seven individuals and seven entities following Iran’s missile and drone transfers to Russia.

“This decision follows the indication by the European Council in March 2024 that, were Iran to transfer ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia for use against Ukraine, the EU would be prepared to respond swiftly, including with new and significant restrictive measures,” a statement said.

“Today’s designation includes individuals and entities responsible for the development and transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missiles and related technology to Russia in support of its war of aggression against Ukraine, and to armed groups and entities undermining peace and security in the Middle East and the Red Sea region,” the statement added.

Charged in the Isfahan Revolutionary Court with "educational and propaganda activities against the sacred Islamic law”, a source familiar with the case told Iran International that the court classified the verdict as "confidential and security-related”.

Lawyers have been prevented from photographing or receiving a copy of the judgment, delivered to the legal team in person on Sunday.

The women have had all phones, laptops, digital devices, gold items, necklaces, rings, and US and Australian dollars confiscated from their homes as a "supplementary punishment" for the benefit of the "Muslims' Fund (the state).”

They are also on travel bans and social media bans for two years in addition to being levied $15,000 in fines.

According to information obtained by Iran International, the court cited activities such as organizing educational classes on music, yoga, painting, English language, and nature tours for Iranian and Afghan children and teenagers as evidence of the charges.

Among the women charged are Yeganeh Rouhbakhsh and Arezou Sobhaniyan, a mother and daughter, Rouhbakhsh just 19 years old.

The women were arrested in October 2023, and one month later, Iran International reported that Ministry of Intelligence agents had threatened their friends, neighbors, and non-Baha'i classmates, warning them that if they did not file complaints against the group or claim they were being coerced by them, they would face legal consequences.

A source close to the families told Iran International that the threats included dismissal from their jobs or expulsion of their children from schools and universities. In some cases, the authorities warned, "We will use any political content or evidence found on your phones to build a case against you."

Baha'is are the largest non-Muslim religious minority in Iran and have faced systematic persecution since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and in recent months it has intensified.

Last month, the Baha'i International Community issued a statement noting that despite promises by President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration to respect the rights of all ethnic and religious minorities, Baha'is in Iran continue to face persecution.

Unofficial sources estimate that over 300,000 Baha'is live in Iran. The Constitution of the Islamic Republic officially recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism.

Since the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom uprising which has seen woman in Iran under even greater threat of arrest than ever before, the risks for Baha'i women have soared, with dozens summoned to court facing vague criminal charges.

Since early March, over 75% of the Baha'is summoned to court or prison — 65 out of 85— have been women, according to the Baha’i International Community.

Currently, two-thirds of all Baha'i prisoners in Iran are women, many detained without due process, with some detainees' whereabouts still unknown.

In April, Human Rights Watch released a 49-page report, “‘The Boot on My Neck’: Iranian Authorities’ Crime of Persecution Against Baha’is in Iran,” documenting Iranian authorities’ systematic violation of the fundamental rights of members of the Baha’i community.

Human Rights Watch found that Baha’is face "a spectrum of abuses". "Government agencies arrest and imprison Baha’is arbitrarily, confiscate their property, restrict their education and employment opportunities, and even deny them dignified burial," a statement said.

Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch added: “Iranian authorities deprive Baha’is of their fundamental rights in every aspect of their lives, not due to their actions, but simply for belonging to a faith group. It is critically important to increase international pressure on Iran to end this crime against humanity.”

“Any acts of aggression towards nuclear sites are condemned under international law,” Baghaei said during his weekly news conference.

He added that Tehran had officially communicated its position to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saying, "we have sent a letter about it to… the UN nuclear watchdog."

Israel has vowed to attack Iran in retaliation for a volley of Iranian missiles launched on October 1, leading to widespread speculation that Iran's nuclear sites could be among Israel's targets.

On October 1, Iran fired more than 180 missiles at Israel, a move described as retaliation for the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon. It was the second Iranian attack on Israel this year. Israel responded to the first missile volley in April with an air strike on an air defense site in central Iran.

After the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Tehran had made a “big mistake tonight” and vowed that “it will pay for it.” Later, the Biden administration revealed that it told Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear sites.

Last week, Netanyahu's office said Israel would listen to key ally the United States regarding a response to Iran's missile attack but would decide its actions according to its own national interest.

His statement was attached to a Washington Post article which said Netanyahu had told President Joe Biden's administration that Israel would strike Iranian military targets, not nuclear or oil sites.

Baghaei, responding to a question about the possibility of Iran changing its official nuclear doctrine, said "weapons of mass destruction have no place in our policy". Tehran would decide on how and when to respond to any Israeli attack.

Israel, which has long accused Tehran of plans to develop nuclear weapons, regards Iran's nuclear activities as a threat. Tehran denies these accusations, insisting that its program is entirely peaceful.

Additionally, Israel’s former premier Naftali Bennett called for the country’s leaders to launch an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities as the Jewish state weighs its response to the barrage of 181 ballistic missiles.

Bennet slammed Biden who had called for a “proportionate” response, saying, "President Biden has said that Israel can retaliate against Iran, but must keep the response 'proportionate'. The president also urged Israel not to attack Iran’s nuclear program."

Moreover, prominent Israeli opposition lawmaker and former defense minister Avigdor Liberman also called on the government to use “all the tools” at its disposal to confront the threat of Iran’s nuclear program, tacitly suggesting that Israel should use a nuclear weapon against the Islamic Republic.

“In order to stop the Iranian nuclear program, which is already at weaponization stages, we must use all the tools at our disposal... It must be clear that, at this stage, it is impossible to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons via conventional means.”

Separately, Baghaei said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would travel to Bahrain and Kuwait on Monday as part of Iran's efforts to curb regional tensions.

Since early October, Araghchi visited Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, and Oman, with the primary goal of mitigating an Israeli strike.

Iran also remains defiant on the issue of three Persian Gulf islands disputed by UAE, with Baghaei reaffirming that Tehran “has no doubt about its territorial integrity and sovereignty over the three islands” in the face of claims from Persian Gulf states and the European Union, which accuse Iran of occupying the islands.

Tensions with Europe were also highlighted during Baghaei’s briefing, as he accused European governments of escalating hostilities by failing to engage constructively with Tehran.

European nations have recently imposed sanctions on Iran, citing its nuclear activities and human rights abuses.

When asked about reports of Israeli military preparations, Baghaei downplayed media speculation but stressed Iran’s readiness to defend itself.

“Our focus will be on responding to any kind of malicious act,” he stated, without specifying potential countermeasures.

Iran's rhetoric and diplomatic outreach suggest that the Islamic Republic is bracing for a critical confrontation in its longstanding conflict with Israel.

Ali Beitollahi, Head of the Engineering Seismology and Risk Department at Iran's University of Science and Technology, warned that despite clear and mounting evidence, policymakers have yet to fully grasp the gravity of this impending catastrophe.

Beitollahi also highlighted the alarming issue of land subsidence affecting Iran’s historical monuments, including Isfahan's Naqsh-e Jahan Square, its ancient mosques, Persepolis, and the Naqsh-e Rostam complex.

He said, “Although published images of subsidence at Naqsh-e Rostam are not entirely accurate, our field inspections confirm the presence of significant cracks due to subsidence.”

He expressed deep concern over the lack of institutional accountability and emphasized that historical monuments and key structures in large cities and subsidence-prone areas urgently require specialized repairs.

Beitollahi further stressed the urgent need for mandatory regulations to address land subsidence, lamenting that no such legislation has yet been enacted. The subsidence crisis has long plagued Persepolis and surrounding ancient sites like Naqsh-e Rostam.

Maryam Dehghani, a faculty member at Shiraz University, remarked last week that subsidence is occurring within 300 to 500 meters of Persepolis and as close as 10 meters to Naqsh-e Rostam, with large, visible cracks forming in these areas.

Beitollahi, who has consistently warned about such dangers, noted in April that the rise in subsidence rates can be partly attributed to “extensive well drilling, which has severely depleted groundwater levels across the country.”

According to the head of the National Cartographic Center, Ali Javidaneh, the average rate of land subsidence in Iran is five times the global average, a phenomenon also affecting vital infrastructure such as airports, roads, and railways.

In September, The Guardian reported that groundwater depletion in Iran is reaching a critical threshold, as revealed by a comprehensive study. This has led to extensive subsidence across vast regions, with satellite imagery showing cracks and sinkholes forming in various parts of the country. In some areas, the land is sinking at over 10 centimeters per year due to excessive groundwater extraction.

The same study highlighted that it could take hundreds, if not thousands, of years for these depleted water resources to naturally replenish.

Last year, reports emerged indicating that the Iranian government had withheld key information regarding the worsening subsidence crisis. In March, Iranian experts classified the situation as "critical," warning that it threatens the lives of over 39 million people.

The crisis is driven by a combination of factors, including dam construction, climate change, inefficient water use in agriculture and industry, and the over-extraction of underground aquifers through illegal wells. These interrelated issues now pose a severe risk to millions across the country.