Tel Aviv, Israel – In a new intelligence blow within the series of covert confrontations between Tel Aviv and Tehran, Israeli authorities, in a joint statement by the police, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and the Ministry of Defense, announced the arrest of a Tajik citizen holding a Russian passport. He was accused of spying for Iran.
Arrest uncovers spying threads
According to security information, the accused, Behrouz Saberjoon, was arrested last June. Legal arrangements are currently underway to file a formal indictment against him, along with a request to extend his detention until the conclusion of legal proceedings. According to the investigation, Saberjoon began communicating with an intelligence operative affiliated with the Islamic Republic in early January 2026.
The security statement indicated that the accused initially attempted to participate in the operation under the guise of a “routine job offer.” However, he continued to cooperate and comply with orders even after fully understanding the identity of the entity he was dealing with. It also confirmed that a significant portion of his alleged activities were carried out at the height of the last war between Israel and Iran.
Strategic Target Bank
The details released by Israeli officials indicate the scope and nature of the “operational” tasks assigned to Sabergon. These went beyond general intelligence gathering to include precise field espionage.
His assigned tasks included recording and identifying the locations targeted by Iranian missile strikes to assess the accuracy of the hits. He was also tasked with photographing and transmitting precise coordinates of highly strategic targets, such as the Azrieli Towers complex in the heart of Tel Aviv, and images of the vital port of Haifa.
Security services also detected attempts by the accused to photograph a “sensitive security facility” located in northern Israel. This suggests that Tehran was attempting to compile a detailed target bank for future operations.
Attempts to recruit local networks
The most serious revelation in the security statement was that Saberjoun’s activities were not limited to individuals, but extended to active attempts to recruit others within Israel. The goal was to build a local Iranian spy network to carry out missions on behalf of Iranian agents. This incident is a strong indication of Iran’s strategy to try to penetrate the heart of Israeli security by employing foreign operatives, exploiting its international intelligence networks.
Security alert amid open warfare
This case reflects the high state of security alert in Israel amid regional tensions. Security agencies prioritize uncovering and dismantling any spy cells that could pose a direct threat to national security or the operational stability of the Israeli army, especially given the open warfare raging in the region, which is no longer limited to traditional military confrontations but has expanded to include a complex intelligence struggle on all fronts.
