Washington, DC – In a move described by intelligence circles as an open “war of minds,” the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has launched an unprecedented digital recruitment campaign targeting Iranian citizens. This comes at a highly sensitive time, as US President Donald Trump seriously considers military strikes against Iranian facilities. At the same time, this coincides with the largest military buildup in the region in decades.
“We hear you”: A coded message to the Iranian interior
The agency published detailed instructions in Persian across its official platforms, including X, Instagram,
and YouTube. The campaign began with the direct message: “Hello… The CIA hears you and wants your help.
Here are some tips on how to make a secure virtual connection with us.”
The campaign, which garnered millions of views in just a few hours, was not merely a general appeal.
Instead, it included an eight-step technical guide designed to protect potential collaborators from the reach of Iranian security services. The instructions included:
Using private browsers that anonymize (such as the Tor browser).
Communicating via the Dark Web to ensure no digital trace is left.
Avoiding the use of personal or work devices that can be tracked.
CIA Director: The campaign is paying off
Despite the agency’s secrecy regarding the identities of its recruited sources, its director, John Ratcliffe, confirmed that this “cinematic” recruitment strategy had proven effective. Ratcliffe pointed to the success of similar experiments using Mandarin and Russian. He added, “We know there are many people looking for a way to improve their lives and change their country for the better.”
Observers believe the agency’s resort to this overt approach reflects Washington’s desire to penetrate Iran’s “security wall” from within. This is especially the case in light of the internal protests the country is witnessing, which Trump described as a sign of the people’s desire for change.
War drums and final negotiations
This intelligence campaign coincides with a military buildup in the Gulf, where the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford has arrived to reinforce the American fleet. Additionally, all eyes are on Geneva,
where a round of negotiations, described by US officials as a “last chance,” is scheduled to take place.
According to press reports, Trump’s decision to launch airstrikes depends heavily on the assessment
by his envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkopf, of Tehran’s seriousness in abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
However, if diplomacy fails, the information the CIA is currently gathering from “human sources” could become the target bank for US missiles.
Reactions: He who sows the wind reaps the whirlwind
In response, Tehran did not remain silent. Huge billboards depicting a destroyed American aircraft carrier, bearing the slogan “He who sows the wind reaps the whirlwind”
in both Persian and English, have appeared in the capital’s squares.
Iranian authorities accuse Washington of engaging in “intelligence terrorism” aimed at destabilizing the country through “lies and disinformation.”
Between computer screens broadcasting espionage instructions and the drone of aircraft over the Gulf, the US-Iranian conflict appears to have entered a point of no return.
Now, intelligence becomes the most lethal weapon even before the first shot is fired.
