When a former CIA director publicly wishes “every Mossad agent walking beside” Iranian protesters a happy New Year, you know the spy game has gone mainstream.
When Spies Go Public
Intelligence agencies typically operate in the shadows, but Iran’s current upheaval has shattered that convention. Israel’s Mossad launched an unprecedented Farsi-language social media campaign, directly telling Iranians to “go out into the streets together” while claiming agents stand with them “on the ground.” This represents a dramatic departure from covert operations toward open psychological warfare.
Mike Pompeo amplified this narrative on social media, essentially confirming what intelligence professionals rarely acknowledge publicly. His New Year greeting to Mossad operatives among protesters wasn’t subtle diplomatic messaging—it was brass-knuckled information warfare designed to rattle Tehran’s leadership while emboldening dissidents.
Economic Crisis Meets Geopolitical Opportunism
The protests began authentically enough. Tehran’s bazaar merchants, crushed by currency volatility and inflation, took to the streets in late 2025. Within days, economic grievances morphed into broader anti-government demonstrations spanning 179 locations across 24 provinces. This organic expansion suggests genuine popular discontent rather than manufactured unrest.
However, genuine domestic anger doesn’t preclude foreign exploitation. Israel and Iran have waged a shadow war for decades, involving nuclear facility sabotage, scientist assassinations, and proxy conflicts. The timing of Mossad’s public intervention coincides perfectly with Iran’s vulnerability, following recent military exchanges and the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Tehran’s Familiar Playbook
Iran’s leadership responded predictably, framing protests as an “enemy conspiracy” orchestrated by Washington and Tel Aviv. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei dismissed demonstrators as “rioters,” while security forces conducted mass arrests and imposed internet restrictions. The execution of Ali Ardestani, accused of Mossad recruitment, served as both a warning and a propaganda tool.
This foreign conspiracy narrative serves multiple purposes for Tehran’s hardliners. It discredits protesters as foreign agents rather than legitimate dissidents, justifies harsh crackdowns as national defense, and deflects attention from economic mismanagement and corruption. Yet the scale and geographic spread of demonstrations suggest deeper structural problems than foreign manipulation alone could generate.
The Intelligence Dilemma
Open-source evidence doesn’t support claims that the CIA or Mossad is organizing protests on the ground. The demonstrations appear domestically driven, with foreign actors providing psychological support rather than operational control. However, Mossad’s public messaging creates a strategic dilemma for both sides.
For Israel, visible involvement risks validating Tehran’s conspiracy claims and potentially delegitimizing authentic Iranian grievances. For Iran’s government, acknowledging foreign intelligence penetration reveals security vulnerabilities and may encourage further unrest. The result is a narrative battle where perception matters as much as reality, and where spy agencies abandon traditional secrecy for maximum psychological impact.
Sources:
Israel’s Mossad Tells Iranian Protesters ‘We Are With You’
Tehran Times: Everything You Need to Know About Recent Protests in Iran