Authorities have issued a series of warnings promising use of force against anyone in the country engaging in actions perceived to harm national security and aid “enemies”, as war with the United States and Israel enters its second week.
The Ministry of Intelligence told Iranians in a statement carried by state media on Saturday that a number of “American-Zionist mercenaries” have been photographing missile impact points to send the footage to “terrorist satellite networks” and online pages based outside Iran.
These “soldiers of Israel” were “acting as the fifth column of the Zionist regime and its eyes inside the country”, it said, adding that they will be severely punished in accordance with a law amended to dole out heavy sentences in the aftermath of the 12-day war with US-Israel in June 2025.
The ministry also renewed its call on people to report any suspicious activity through phone calls and local messaging services, as the global internet remains disconnected more than a week after the opening salvo of the war killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top commanders in downtown Tehran.
The internet blackout has restricted Iranians’ news sources to state media, which do not cover many developments, including forced evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military, instead mostly focusing on successful Iranian strikes.
Many people are therefore following the news through a handful of foreign-based Persian-language channels that are widely available via satellite connections at home.
Authorities have been sending jamming signals to restrict the channels since shortly before the start of the war, because they consider some to be “terrorist” outlets funded by opponents to advocate for regime change in Iran.
In mass text messages sent on Saturday addressed to the “resistant people of Islamic Iran”, the police force, whose stations and headquarters have been bombed by Israel and the US across the country, also said footage of strikes is being sent to “masters” abroad and must be stopped.
Two military commanders suggested that the armed forces of the establishment have been given a greenlight to fire live bullets at any offenders to ensure state security.
Police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan told state television that his forces have been told to shoot down any “thieves” who may potentially pose a threat during war conditions, where many people have left their homes in Tehran and other big cities – as encouraged by officials – to seek safety in other cities.