Iranian missile display in Tehran
Iranian missile display in TehranReuters

Four Israeli women have been caught transferring information to Iranian intelligence.

The women were initially contacted on Facebook by a man presenting himself as Rambod Namdar, a Jew living in Iran. Later, the conversations moved to WhatsApp.

During the course of their correspondence, the women sent Namdar photos of the US Embassy, the Holon mall, and a Knesset member, in exchange for money.

As part of the ongoing monitoring of the activities and investigations of the suspects, it emerged that they maintained ongoing contacts with an Iranian intelligence source. During the interrogations, extensive evidence was gathered about these connections, and accordingly indictments were filed against several of the suspects.

Despite the suspects' suspicion that he was an Iranian intelligence official, some of them continued their contact with him, agreed to perform tasks he assigned them, and received money from him.

As part of the connection with Rambod, one suspect was asked to direct her son, who was about to be drafted into the IDF, to serve in the IDF Intelligence Division and in the meantime, and Rambod spoke by phone with her son to give his opinion on his proficiency in the Persian language. It was further revealed that the suspect was instructed by Rambod to gather intelligence about senior members of the defense establishment.

Another suspect worked with Rambod for more than four years and performed tasks assigned to her in exchange for an attempt to get her son into the Intelligence Corps, including facilitating the establishment of a club for Iranians in Beit Shemesh, taking photos of the ballot box during the elections for the 23rd Knesset, attempting to photograph the American embassy in Jerusalem, purchasing electronic devices and installing a hidden camera in a massage room in her home, approaching an MK. entering and transmitting information about the connection between them and more.

A senior Shabak source said that "this is a serious affair, in which an intention to establish a spy network for Iran, which operated within the State of Israel, was exposed and thwarted. In this case, we are witnessing attempts at espionage within Israel, by applying the "innocent" coverage of Israeliness and degenerating into a long-term relationship. This is despite the suspects' suspicion that this was an Iranian intelligence source, and in view of their choice to continue the relationship with him and even perform tasks for him."

"In their serious acts, those involved endangered themselves, their family members and innocent Israeli citizens, whose details were passed on to Iranian intelligence, in addition to passing on information on Israeli and American targets in Israel in a way that could be used for terrorist purposes," the senior official added.