Federal alert advises law enforcement to increase monitoring after encrypted transmissions believed to originate from Iran were intercepted following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
U.S. intelligence officials have intercepted encrypted communications believed to originate from Iran that authorities say could potentially serve as an activation signal for sleeper cells operating outside the country.
According to a federal alert obtained and reviewed by ABC News, the transmissions were detected through preliminary signals analysis and were described as “likely of Iranian origin.” The message was reportedly broadcast to multiple countries shortly after the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei was killed on Feb. 28 during a joint military strike carried out by the United States and Israel.
Officials said the intercepted message appeared to be encoded and designed for “clandestine recipients” who possess the appropriate encryption key needed to decode the signal.
Authorities noted that communications transmitted in this manner are typically used to deliver instructions to covert operatives or sleeper assets while avoiding conventional internet or cellular networks.
The federal alert stated that the signal could potentially function as an operational trigger.
According to the document, the transmissions may “be intended to activate or provide instructions to prepositioned sleeper assets operating outside the originating country.”
Investigators said the contents of the messages have not yet been deciphered.
“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 across the United States have been advised to increase monitoring of suspicious radio-frequency activity and remain alert for unusual communications that could be linked to covert operational networks.
Officials emphasized that the intelligence warning does not identify a specific threat location or confirmed attack plot.
The alert stated there is “no operational threat tied to a specific location,” but advised agencies to remain vigilant given the geopolitical tensions surrounding the conflict involving Iran.
Security agencies have previously raised concerns that sleeper cells positioned in Western countries could potentially be used for retaliatory operations following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iranian targets.
Authorities say the intercepted transmissions are still under analysis as intelligence officials work to determine their origin, purpose, and whether they are connected to any active operational planning.
Original article
Comments