US downplays Iran-linked hackers’ threat, calls it digital propaganda

The report said images captured over the weekend by Maxar Technologies show a newly built road leading up the mountain to the Fordow site, along with several vehicles, including an excavator and a mobile crane.

The Wall Street Journal cited an analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) that said the excavator was likely preparing a staging area to lower cameras or personnel into bomb impact points to inspect the damage to the underground facility.

On Monday, ISIS president David Albright said that Maxar’s imagery shows Iran is preparing for downhole inspections at two impact sites, starting with the one where a crane is already positioned.

In a post on X, he said that the terrain at one site is too unstable for normal crane access, and that Iran may need to install a larger crane to reach that area safely.

“We will not tolerate any threats to Jewish life in Germany,” the German foreign ministry said in a post on X, calling for a thorough investigation.

The Danish man, identified only as Ali S. in line with German privacy laws, was detained on June 26 in Aarhus at the request of Germany’s federal prosecutor. He is accused of surveilling three properties in June, gathering intelligence that authorities believe may have supported planned operations by Iranian agents.

“The accused was preparing intelligence activities, including the possible targeting of Jewish institutions,” the federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

It comes as Iran continues to attempt plots inside Israel and on Jews and Israelis abroad.

Israel Police and the Shin Bet announced Tuesday the arrest of a Ra’anana couple suspected of communicating with Iranian handlers and passing sensitive information via mobile and computer devices. Police said the pair had exchanged correspondence and were caught with encrypted materials and tracking data.

Three other men were also arrested in separate Israeli cases on Monday, with authorities alleging they shared detailed surveillance of civilian infrastructure, including mall layouts and security routines, with Iranian contacts.

Dozens of Israeli citizens have been arrested since the Gaza war broke out in 2023, accused of aiding Iran on plots including planned assassinations of political and military leadership and attacks on military installations.

Plots have also been foiled in countries such as Azerbaijan and France.

Inside Iran, the IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency reported that over 700 Iranians were detained on allegations of collaborating with Israeli intelligence since the June 13 Israeli strikes.

Dozens of Jews have also been arrested as the pressure on Iran's 10,000 strong Jewish community continues in the wake of the 12-day war.

The group, which leaked a prior batch ahead of the 2024 presidential election, said it holds roughly 100 gigabytes of emails from accounts including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Trump lawyer Lindsey Halligan, adviser Roger Stone, and Stormy Daniels, a notorious Trump critic.

In online chats with Reuters, the hackers hinted at possibly selling the stolen material but gave few details about their intentions or the content of the emails.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi called the breach “an unconscionable cyber-attack,” while FBI Director Kash Patel vowed that anyone involved in national security breaches would face full prosecution.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) labeled the incident “digital propaganda” aimed at damaging Trump and discrediting public servants.

Robert emerged during the final months of the 2024 campaign, distributing emails that Reuters verified included a financial arrangement between Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now Trump’s health secretary.

Other leaked documents showed internal Trump campaign communications and settlement talks with Daniels. While these leaks received media attention, they did not significantly impact the election outcome.

In a 2024 indictment, the US Justice Department accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guards of orchestrating the Robert hacking operation. The hackers declined to address this allegation in their conversations with Reuters.

Despite earlier remarks to Reuters that no further leaks were planned and that the group had “retired,” Robert re-engaged following the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, which culminated in US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

This week, the hackers told Reuters they were organizing a sale of stolen emails and requested that Reuters publicize the matter.

Frederick Kagan, a scholar on Iranian cyberespionage at the American Enterprise Institute, suggested the renewed hacking reflects Tehran’s efforts to retaliate asymmetrically without provoking a larger military response.

"A default explanation is that everyone's been ordered to use all the asymmetric stuff that they can that's not likely to trigger a resumption of major Israeli/US military activity," he said. "Leaking a bunch more emails is not likely to do that."

While concerns remain about Iran’s cyber capabilities, the hackers maintained a low profile during the conflict. US cyber officials warned that American companies and critical infrastructure could still be targeted in the future.

During the 12-day war with Israel, several Iranian banks and cryptocurrency platforms were hacked in coordinated cyberattacks. Iranian authorities, fearing further breaches of critical infrastructure, responded by shutting down internet access nationwide.

While the government cited cybersecurity as the rationale, the primary aim was to limit public access to wartime information and suppress its dissemination on social media.

“We kindly request the esteemed Embassy of Ireland to facilitate and support the establishment of international roaming agreements with active operators in Ireland,” the Mobile Company of Iran (MCI) wrote in a January 6 letter seen by the newspaper through a Freedom of Information Act request..

MCI, one of Iran's largest mobile operators, is majority-owned by a company believed to be controlled by the IRGC. The firm told the Irish embassy it already had roaming deals in place with 200 operators in 110 countries and wanted to expand its coverage to Ireland, citing “the friendly relations” between the two states.

The IRGC, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, plays a key role in Iran’s economy and foreign policy, including its backing of groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

According to the report, Ireland's ambassador to Tehran, Laoise Moore, did not respond to the request.

Vodafone, which had a prior agreement with MCI, cut ties last year citing concerns about sanctions compliance. A spokesperson for Eir said its roaming deals were vetted against publicly available sanctions lists, but the company declined to comment on MCI specifically.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that while the IRGC is under sanctions, MCI is not. Three Ireland did not comment on whether it had held any discussions with the Iranian company, according to the report.

“I don’t think negotiations will restart as quickly as that,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in his first interview with an American news outlet since the June airstrikes, when asked about President Donald Trump’s suggestion that talks could resume as soon as this week. “We will have to first ensure that America will not revert to targeting us in a military attack during the negotiations.”

However, he added, “The doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.”

Iran not backing down from enrichment, Araghchi says

Asked whether Iran would continue uranium enrichment, Araghchi said, “Our peaceful nuclear program has turned into a matter of national pride and glory. We have also gone through 12 days of imposed war; therefore, people will not easily back down from enrichment.”

US June strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. While US officials said the sites were “completely and totally obliterated,” Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), offered a more measured assessment. He told CBS News the facilities had sustained “significant destruction,” but Iran retained enough capacity to resume enrichment within months.

"One cannot obliterate the technology and science for enrichment through bombings," Araghchi said. "If there is this will on our part, and the will exists in order to once again make progress in this industry, we will be able to expeditiously repair the damages and make up for the lost time."

US warns against renewed enrichment

US President Donald Trump has said further enrichment activity could trigger additional strikes. Asked about the possibility, Araghchi said Iran was prepared for more attacks. “We showed and proved during this 12-day imposed war that we have the ability to defend ourselves, and we will continue to do so should any aggression be launched against us.”

Still, the White House said no new talks are officially scheduled. According to CBS, Araghchi did not offer a timeline for when diplomacy might resume. He said Iran still needed to evaluate the security situation and was not ready to return to negotiations “as quickly as that.”