More Stories
An Israeli man has been indicted for spying on behalf of Iran, including photographing military routes and surveilling civilians, Kann News reported Thursday, citing Israeli prosecutors.
The man, Dmitri Cohen, 28, from Haifa, is accused of maintaining contact with an Iranian intelligence operative and providing sensitive information to a hostile entity, according to the indictment filed in Haifa District Court.
Kann reported that Cohen allegedly responded to a job ad in April and was contacted by someone identifying himself as “David,” who claimed to run a private investigations firm. Prosecutors say Cohen soon suspected “David” was affiliated with Iranian intelligence but continued cooperating, completing at least six surveillance missions for $500 in cryptocurrency each.
Targets included routes to IDF bases along Highway 40, private residences, and major highways between Tel Aviv and Ashdod. In one case, he allegedly edited video footage before sending it to the handler. He used a burner phone and deleted materials after each task, Kann said.
Iran should not suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Thursday, warning such a move would send “the completely wrong signal.”
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin alongside his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand, Wadephul said, “I urge the Iranian government not to take this path.”
His comments came after Iran’s parliament voted to suspend cooperation with the UN watchdog. Tehran has accused the agency of political bias and failing to uphold its obligations.
The US Senate will hold a classified briefing on the situation in Iran on Thursday afternoon, CNN reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
The session is scheduled for 2 pm ET, after being postponed from earlier in the week, according to the report.
Centrifuges at Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility are no longer operational due to physical damage from recent US strikes, Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Thursday.
“Given the power of these bombs and technical characteristics of the centrifuges, we do know that they are no longer operational, simply because of the vibration, which causes considerable, important physical damage,” Grossi told Radio France Internationale. He said satellite images indicate the enrichment hall at Fordow was likely hit.
Grossi added that Iran has not responded to the agency’s request to resume inspections. “The agency’s presence in Iran is not a gesture of generosity, it’s an international responsibility,” he said, stressing that inspections are a legal obligation under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Iran’s parliament voted Wednesday to suspend cooperation with the IAEA. The Supreme National Security Council must still approve the move.
The United States has agreed to a proposal from Oman to host a new round of talks with Iran early next week, but Tehran has yet to give a final response, regional sources told Iran International.
