Is Iran Activating Sleeper Cells Abroad? US Intelligence Detects Suspicious Encrypted Transmission

Washington: In a fresh twist to the war in the Middle East, US intelligence agencies have reportedly detected a suspicious encrypted transmission believed to have originated from Iran. This has raised concerns that it could be intended for sleeper cells operating outside the country. 

According to a report by ABC News, a federal alert circulated among American law enforcement agencies referenced “early signals analysis” of a coded message that was traced back to a possible Iranian source.

The transmission was reportedly relayed through several countries shortly after the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It is believed by US authorities that the message may be designed for covert recipients who possess the necessary encryption key, potentially serving as a trigger or instruction set for operatives working secretly overseas. 

“It's possible the transmissions could be intended to activate or provide instructions to prepositioned sleeper assets operating outside the originating country,” the alert reportedly stated.

Reports indicate that the message may have originated from a new station which is capable of international rebroadcasts. “While the exact contents of these transmissions cannot currently be determined, the sudden appearance of a new station with international rebroadcast characteristics warrants heightened situational awareness,” the alert said. Law enforcement agencies have been ordered to intensify monitoring of suspicious radio-frequency activity.

Mojtaba Khamenei Named Iran’s New Supreme Leader

Meanwhile, in a historic moment for Iran, the war-torn country's clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, declared that Mojtaba Khamenei would take over as the country’s new Supreme Leader. Mojtaba had long been considered as a potential successor. He was selected over hardliner Mohsen Araki, cleric Alireza Arafi, and Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Iran's revolutionary founder.

Reports have also surfaced which suggest that Russia may be supporting Iran during this war. According to the media reports, three officials claimed Moscow has been providing real-time intelligence about the whereabouts of US military assets in the Middle East. Reports indicate that the data contains the locations of US aircraft, warships, and other military hardware, which may aid Iran in tracking US soldiers.

Threat to Global Oil Supply

The Iran war has put at risk the world's most critical oil and gas infrastructure, including the pipelines, refineries, and shipping terminals, that keep energy flowing from the countries around the Persian Gulf to the global economy.

Strikes by Iranian drones have disrupted operations, while the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz choke point for shipping due to risk of Iranian strikes has left some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas with nowhere to go.

Oil fields in countries including Iraq have cut back output as storage fills up. Qatar, a major supplier of liquefied natural gas, has shut down its exports as well.

ALSO READ: 'Unwavering Support for Tehran': Putin Expresses Solidarity After Mojtaba Khamenei Becomes Iran’s New Supreme Leader