Iran International
The political storm unleashed over a leaked video depicting the daughter of Iran's ex-security chief in a revealing wedding dress shows no sign of calming, with claims of Israeli cyberwarfare pitted against suspicions of skullduggery within the ruling elite.
The footage of Ali Shamkhani walking his daughter down the aisle—dressed in a strapless, décolleté gown—instantly went viral and drew cries of double standards from a nation bound by strict Islamic codes.
But beyond issues of morality, elite privilege or invasion of privacy, the leak itself has triggered a new wave of political blame games, exposing heightened factional tensions in the aftermath of Israel’s June attack on Iran.
Shamkhani’s only reaction to date has been a cryptic post on X quoting Steve McQueen prison-break drama Papillon: “You bastards, I’m still alive.” He had used the same phrase to deny rumors of his death during the 12-Day War.
Notably, the message was written in Persian and Hebrew, shifting attention from the video's content to the act of leaking itself and framing the exposure as possible foreign interference.
‘Character assassination’
Former state broadcaster chief Ezzatollah Zarghami put it bluntly.
“Hacking into people’s privacy is Israel’s new method of assassination,” he posted on X, calling the leak a new form of psychological warfare aimed at national morale.
On social media, the theory of Israeli involvement gained traction when users claimed that the clip first appeared on a Hebrew-language Telegram channel—though this claim remains unverified.
Mashregh News, affiliated with the IRGC Intelligence Organization, said the leak aimed to “discredit Shamkhani” because of his “effectiveness,” blaming “certain domestic circles” as well as Israel.
Hardline daily Kayhan, funded by the Supreme Leader’s office, went further and laid blame on former President Hassan Rouhani and his allies.
The paper called the leak a “proxy character assassination,” arguing that Rouhani and former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif were “hostile” to Shamkhani because he promoted a 2020 law on “reciprocal nuclear measures” that increased Western pressure on Rouhani.
‘Culprits at home’
Ali Bitafaran, a pro-hardline activist, wrote: “The equation is very simple: Shamkhani exposed Rouhani, (close Rouhani aide) Hesamodin Ashena threatened (him), two days later the threat was carried out by the counterrevolutionaries when dirt on Shamkhani was released.”
He claimed the video revealed the link between “an evil domestic ring and the exiled overthrow-seekers.”
The accusation refers to a recent disclosure by Shamkhani that Rouhani had known “from the earliest minutes” that the IRGC had shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane in 2020, long before officials publicly admitted it.
Hardliners allege that the revelation provoked the anger of Rouhani, his foreign minister Javad Zarif, and their reformist allies.
Denials and counterclaims
Rouhani’s camp has firmly denied any link to the leak.
A source close to his office told Khabar Online that the act was “an ugly, unfair action contrary to Islamic norms.”
Hesamodin Ashena, Rouhani’s longtime adviser and a frequent target of hardliners, also pushed back, warning against “beating the empty drum of divisions.”
Ironically, Ashena’s earlier post—warning against compelling Rouhani and Zarif to reveal what they know—has been cited by hardliners as evidence of the duo’s involvement.
Whether the leak was a foreign intrusion or a domestic vendetta, it has laid bare the mutual suspicion and fragility within Iran’s political establishment.
