Iran claims it has pulled off a major intelligence coup, after acquiring a treasure trove of information about Israel’s nuclear programme. If the claims are proved, this would be a massive blow to Israel’s security and would raise questions over the country’s intelligence services.
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry made the announcement on Sunday, though no hard evidence has yet been provided to back up the claims. The cleric and politician Esmail Khatib said the documents would be made public soon.
The Shiite cleric told Iran’s State TV that the Intelligence Ministry had acquired “an important treasury of strategic, operational and scientific intelligence” from Israel.
He said the documents had been obtained through “infiltration” and “access to sources”.
The papers are believed to contain information about Europe, the US and various other countries.
Khatib was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022 for his alleged involvement in cyber espionage.
It comes as Iran prepares to offer its own counterproposal over its nuclear ambitions in talks with the US.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei dismissed the latest Trump administration idea in no uncertain terms last week.
He accused the US President of being “rude and arrogant” in a withering attack on the White House incumbent.
“Who are you to tell us whether we should have a nuclear program or not?” he thundered in a TV address.
The US proposal would allowed Iran to retain low levels of enrichment for civilian uses like nuclear medicine and commercial power.
In return Tehran would have to shut down its heavily protected underground sites for a period of time.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday Iran would soon hand over its terms for a nuclear deal.
“The US proposal is not acceptable to us,” he said. “It was not the result of previous rounds of negotiations.
“We will present our own proposal to the other side via Oman after it is finalised. This proposal is reasonable, logical, and balanced.”