Senior cleric says no one in Iran seeking deal with US

The undercover reporter, engaging with a Telegram channel advertising “high-paid” work, was instructed to burn images of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu in a London street and send video proof in exchange for cryptocurrency.

“This is the first step in building trust, and I will pay for it,” the account wrote, presenting the task as an entry point to further assignments.

Matt Jukes, the deputy commissioner of the Met Police, has warned that proxies being asked to act on behalf of Iran are easily expendable and will be dropped by their handlers as soon as police get involved.

“You’re going to prison if you do that,” Jukes said. “We are going to catch you because London, this fantastic city, is on the lookout for you.”

Recruitment mirrors known playbooks

Jonathan Hall KC, the UK’s independent reviewer of state threats legislation, said the exchange reflected patterns seen in earlier foreign-directed cases.

“It looks straight from that sort of recruitment playbook,” Hall said. “The individual is being asked to do something that you might think is fairly minor and trivial… but presumably once you’ve done that and proved yourself, this is just the beginning.”

Security specialists said the model reflects a broader shift toward outsourcing operations to individuals motivated by money rather than ideology.

Officials warn of broader pattern

The outreach surfaced alongside recent arson attacks targeting Jewish-linked sites in London, increasing concern among officials about coordinated intimidation efforts.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “increasingly concerned” about foreign states using proxies for criminal acts, pledging to accelerate legislation addressing the issue.

Stephen Silverman of Campaign Against Antisemitism said the findings point to foreign-linked disruption. “By getting this to take root and getting people to act on it and spread fear and alarm, they are working to undermine our everyday lives,” Silverman said.

Authorities said the exchange has been passed to counter-terrorism police, underscoring warnings that seemingly minor tasks can serve as gateways to more serious criminal activity.

Iran will resume some international flights from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport from Saturday, authorities said.

Flights to Istanbul and Muscat are set to restart as airspace reopens, with several Iranian carriers expected to operate the routes.

Passenger departures and arrivals have also resumed, with further flight schedules to be updated as new approvals are issued.

The US State Department said it is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, leader of the Iran-aligned militia Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS).

In a notice issued through its Rewards for Justice program, the department said al-Saraji, also known as Abu Ala al-Wala’i, heads the group, which it accused of attacks on US personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria, as well as violence against Iraqi civilians.

The notice said individuals providing information could be eligible for relocation and financial compensation.

Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday that Iran was struggling to determine its leadership, pointing to what he described as infighting between “hardliners” and “moderates.”

“Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!” Trump wrote, adding that internal divisions were “crazy” and tied to battlefield losses and political rivalries.

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  Power vacuum in Tehran emboldens hardliners

The remarks came as the continued absence of new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei from public view and reported disputes over engagement with Washington have drawn scrutiny to internal dynamics within the Islamic Republic.

Officials project unity after remarks

An account attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei reposted part of his Nowruz message warning of “enemy psychological operations” aimed at undermining national unity and security.

Senior officials echoed similar messaging in coordinated posts. President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote that distinctions between political factions were invalid.

“In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates’… We are all Iranians and revolutionaries,” they wrote, adding that unity and obedience to the Supreme Leader would ensure victory.

Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei described such labels as “fabricated and baseless,” saying all factions operate cohesively under the leadership.

Other figures, including senior military commanders and advisers, issued similar statements stressing allegiance to “one leader,” in what appeared to be a coordinated response.

Divisions persist over policy and negotiations

Despite the messaging, recent developments suggest internal disagreements remain. In March, Pezeshkian apologized for attacks attributed to Iranian forces on neighboring countries, attributing them to actors operating independently, drawing criticism from military-linked figures.

Conflicting signals also emerged last week over maritime policy, when Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz before the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps indicated renewed restrictions due to ongoing pressures.

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  Opposition to US talks grows in Tehran as ceasefire deadline nears

Reports have also pointed to disputes over nuclear negotiations with the United States. According to information received by Iran International, disagreements between officials aligned with the government and figures linked to Mojtaba Khamenei disrupted plans for talks in Islamabad.

Sources familiar with the matter said negotiators were instructed not to engage on the nuclear file, prompting Araghchi to describe participation as “essentially futile” and warning that such a stance would end the process.

Earlier reporting also indicated that Ghalibaf criticized opponents of a deal with Washington in internal discussions, describing them as contributing to the country’s decline.

Pakistan’s capital remains under tight security lockdown despite no clear sign of imminent US-Iran talks, officials told Reuters, as authorities keep preparations in place for a possible meeting at short notice.

“We have been told that the talks could be held any day,” one official said.

Large parts of Islamabad, including key government areas, have been sealed off for a second week, disrupting transport, food supplies and daily life for residents.

The city was first locked down for an earlier round of talks that ended without a deal, and officials say the restrictions will remain in place as Pakistan awaits a second round that has yet to materialise.