Tajik man accused of spying on Israel for Iran, as espionage arrests continue

Security agencies say Behrouz Sobirgon had been in contact with an Iranian handler since January, documented ‘sensitive’ sites

A man from Tajikistan holding a Russian passport was recently arrested on suspicion of spying on Israel on behalf of Iran and working to recruit additional spies, authorities announced Thursday.

A joint investigation by the police, Shin Bet and Defense Ministry found that Behrouz Sobirgon, a Tajik citizen in Israel, was in contact with an Iranian handler starting in January, with most of his “security activity” taking place during the recent war with Iran, a statement said.

During the war, Sobirgon “sought to help Iran achieve operational successes and advance its objectives in the international arena against the State of Israel,” it added.

The investigation found that Sobirgon was approached with “a seemingly innocuous job offer,” but he “quickly realized that it had been made by an Iranian agent and nevertheless maintained contact.”

The missions he carried out for the Iranian handler included “documenting and transferring the locations of Iranian missile impact sites” during the Iran war, providing coordinates of the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv, sending a photo of the Haifa Port, and attempting to photograph a “sensitive security facility” in northern Israel, the joint statement said.

“In addition to all of this, he actively assisted in recruiting additional people for missions on behalf of Iranian operatives,” the police, Shin Bet and Defense Ministry said.

Sobirgon was arrested in June, and prosecutors on Thursday announced their intention to file an indictment against him. They also asked that he be kept in custody until the end of legal proceedings.

He was the latest person to be arrested on suspicion of spying for the Islamic Republic, a burgeoning phenomenon that the security establishment has struggled to stem, even during the recent war against Iran.

Most of the alleged spies are Israeli citizens contacted through social media by faceless Iran-linked agents, who promise money to recruits in exchange for their cooperation, though some have been foreign nationals in Israel on visas.

On Tuesday, police announced that a 20-year-old US citizen residing in the Jerusalem area would be charged in court of security offenses for allegedly spying on Iran’s behalf, which included taking photos and videos of “sensitive sites” for payment.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.