Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence has accused a few individuals of covertly capturing images of sites affected by recent airstrikes and passing the videos to international media organizations.
In a statement made public on Saturday, the ministry claimed that those involved were “American-Zionist agents” who had been recording bombed areas and sending the visuals to what officials referred to as “terrorist satellite networks” and online media sources outside of Iran.
The statement suggested that the people charged with filming the aftermath of the strikes are functioning as a “fifth column” for Israel by disclosing crucial information regarding locations targeted in the ongoing conflict. Iranian intelligence officials stated that they are closely monitoring the circumstances and cautioned that anyone found transmitting such footage overseas would be subject to legal repercussions.
The ministry noted that security forces are following individuals suspected of gathering images and videos from targeted sites and distributing them via satellite television networks and online platforms. Officials highlighted that these actions might pose a risk to national security by exposing details about the destruction brought by the attacks.
Iranian officials also urged the public to refrain from recording or sharing content of sensitive areas affected by airstrikes, cautioning that such material could be exploited by hostile factions.
This warning comes as tensions among Iran, the United States, and Israel escalate, with reports of airstrikes occurring in various regions and images of destruction widely circulated on social media platforms.
Human rights advocates and media organizations have previously expressed worries that restrictions on filming or sharing footage during conflicts could hinder public access to unbiased information regarding happenings on the ground.
Even with the warning, videos and pictures depicting explosions and damaged properties continue to emerge online as the conflict progresses, providing insights into the effects of the strikes across numerous Iranian cities.
Iranian officials state that investigations are currently underway to identify those responsible for sharing the footage and to prevent additional leaks of what they term sensitive wartime information.