Numerous recent intelligence breaches has triggered widespread panic within Iran’s security apparatus.
By Hezy Laing
Yesterday the Mossad hinted—via a cryptic social media post—that it may have a human intelligence source inside Iran’s elite Quds Force, a rare and provocative signal in the world of espionage.
In early November 2025, the Mossad’s Farsi-language X (formerly Twitter) account, widely believed to be operated by Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, published a striking image: Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani seated across from an unidentified, blurred individual in a dimly lit room.
The accompanying caption read: “Do you remember that we promised you we would share other memories we have with Qaani and Saberi? Another photo that brings back memories from a few years ago… He was a bit shy in the first session and didn’t even touch the tea. In the later sessions, his shyness wore off and he drank, and he drank well—and not just tea.”
The post was interpreted by intelligence analysts as a deliberate psychological operation, suggesting that Mossad had direct access to Qaani or someone in his inner circle—possibly even a mole within the Quds Force.
The Quds Force, a branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is responsible for extraterritorial operations and has been linked to numerous covert activities across the Middle East and beyond.
This revelation comes amid heightened tensions following Mossad’s exposure of Sardar Ammar, a senior Quds Force commander allegedly behind a global terror network targeting Jewish communities in Europe, Australia, and North America.
The Mossad claims Ammar commands 11,000 operatives and orchestrated attacks designed to intimidate diaspora communities and destabilize Jewish institutions.
While Israel has not officially confirmed the existence of a spy within the Quds Force, the public nature of the post—and its intimate tone—suggests a calculated move to sow distrust within Iran’s security apparatus and signal Mossad’s reach deep into enemy ranks.
Iran’s intelligence community is facing a severe crisis following a series of high-profile breaches and internal failures.
In October 2025, a cyberattack attributed to Israeli intelligence exposed the names and photos of dozens of Iranian operatives, including members of the Quds Force and MOIS (Ministry of Intelligence and Security).
The leak, published on encrypted Telegram channels and mirrored across social media, revealed identities, locations, and mission details of agents operating in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
This breach has triggered widespread panic within Iran’s security apparatus, leading to internal purges, reassignment of field agents, and a halt to several overseas operations.
The Mossad’s public taunts, including cryptic posts suggesting a mole inside the Quds Force, have further destabilized trust among senior commanders.
Esmail Qaani, head of the Quds Force, has reportedly launched an internal investigation, while Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ordered a full review of cyber vulnerabilities and counterintelligence protocols.
