Online video circulating early Monday showed hackers disrupting Iranian state television satellite transmissions to air footage supporting exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and messages urging security forces not to “point your weapons at the people.”
The intrusion aired Sunday night on multiple satellite-broadcast channels tied to Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Iran’s state broadcaster, according to reports and posted clips.
What aired during the disruption
The hacked transmission included clips of Pahlavi and graphics calling on the army and security forces to join the public “for the freedom of Iran.” The broadcast also showed footage of security forces and others in what appeared to be Iranian police uniforms, alongside an unverified claim that some had “laid down their weapons and swore an oath of allegiance to the people.”
In the hijacked video, Pahlavi addressed the military directly, calling it the “national army of Iran” and urging personnel to join the public.
Iranian state media acknowledges a disruption, without detailing content
Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency, which is widely seen as close to the Revolutionary Guard, quoted a statement from the state broadcaster acknowledging the signal in “some areas of the country was momentarily disrupted by an unknown source.” The broadcaster did not describe what was aired.
A statement from Pahlavi’s office acknowledged the disruption that showed him, and did not answer questions from The Associated Press about the hack.
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Hack follows protests and a reported spike in deaths
The disruption came as activists reported the death toll in a government crackdown that smothered nationwide demonstrations had reached at least 3,919 people killed. The Associated Press said it could not independently confirm the toll.
Iranian officials have not released a clear nationwide figure. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Saturday that the protests had left “several thousand” people dead and blamed the United States for the deaths, according to reports.
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The hacking incident unfolded as tensions remained high between Washington and Tehran over the crackdown. President Donald Trump publicly warned Iran against killing peaceful protesters and against mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations.
Separately, ship-tracking data reviewed by the AP showed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and accompanying U.S. warships transiting the Strait of Malacca after passing Singapore, a route that could take them toward the Middle East.
Not the first time Iranian broadcasts have been disrupted
Sunday’s hack followed earlier incidents targeting Iranian airwaves. The report referenced a 1986 account describing the use of a small transmitter for a brief clandestine broadcast attributed to Pahlavi that pirated Iranian signals, as well as a 2022 disruption in which multiple channels aired opposition footage and anti–Supreme Leader graphics.
What remains unclear
Iranian authorities did not identify who carried out the intrusion, and the hacked broadcast’s claims about security forces switching allegiance were not backed by evidence in the footage. How much support Pahlavi has inside Iran also remains uncertain, though the report noted pro-shah chants have been heard during demonstrations.
Sources:
Associated Press – “US-based activist agency says it has verified 3,919 deaths from Iran protests”
