The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has published new instructions in Persian (Farsi) on social media for Iranians who wish to contact the American secret service securely.
This recruitment effort comes at a time when the US has significantly increased its military presence in the Middle East, while President Donald Trump could order an attack on Iran at any time if talks scheduled for Thursday fail to reach an agreement on Tehran's nuclear program.
Trump laid out the case for a possible military operation in his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, saying he would not allow the Islamic Republic, which he called the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran denies seeking to develop a nuclear arsenal.
The CIA posted the message in Farsi on its X, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram and YouTube accounts on Tuesday. The message is part of a series of efforts by the agency to recruit sources in Iran, China, North Korea and Russia.
The agency urged Iranians who want to contact the agency to “take appropriate precautions” to protect themselves and avoid using work computers or personal phones. The message recommends using a new, temporary device if possible, as well as being mindful of their surroundings and people who may see their screen or activity.
According to the guidelines, contact persons should provide their location, name, job title, and information on access or skills that may be of interest to the agency. It is also advisable to use a reliable virtual private network (VPN) that is not based in Russia, Iran, or China, or the Tor network, which encrypts data and hides the user's IP address.
The CIA declined to comment, while Iran's delegation to the UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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