The
Iran
Cables
In an unprecedented leak from one of the world’s most secretive regimes, an anonymous source provided 700 pages of Iranian intelligence reports to The Intercept, saying they wanted to “let the world know what Iran is doing in my country Iraq.”
A Spy Complex Revealed
Leaked documents expose Tehran’s vast influence in Iraq, detailing years of painstaking work by Iranian agents to co-opt the country’s leaders and infiltrate every aspect of its political life.
Iran’s Shadow War on ISIS
As the U.S. dropped bombs on Islamic State strongholds, Iranian spies cheered. Meanwhile, Tehran funneled arms to the Kurdish Peshmerga and penetrated the inner circle of ISIS leadership.
A Secret Summit
After Mohamed Morsi was forced from power in Egypt, delegations from the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran’s Quds Force came together in a Turkish hotel in hopes of cooperating against their common enemy, Saudi Arabia. The talks didn’t go well.
The Changing of the Overlords
In the rubble left by the U.S. war in Iraq, Iranian leaders saw an opportunity to create a new order — one that would never again threaten them the way that Saddam had.
The Story Behind the Iran Cables
A note from the editors and a video discussion hosted by Jeremy Scahill.
Portrait of a General
A nuanced portrait of Suleimani emerges from a leaked archive of secret Iranian spy cables obtained by The Intercept.
“A Black and Shameful Record”
The spy cables reveal Tehran's deep hatred of the Mojahedin-e Khalq, an exiled Iranian militant group, as well as a sober assessment of its activities around the world.
Spying on the U.S.
Iranian intelligence agents set up a network of spies in Iraq, effectively using low-tech tradecraft to find and communicate with them. A key goal was to get spies inside American military bases.
Hostage Business
Sara Miran went to Basra to oversee a real estate project. An Iranian-backed militia grabbed her and demanded $2 million.