Intelligence Minister Khatib says Tehran having ‘thousands of documents’ will be an understatement.
Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has said sensitive Israeli documents related to its nuclear facilities, its relationship with the United States, Europe and other countries, as well as its defensive capabilities, will be unveiled soon.
Khatib told state TV on Sunday that the documents obtained by Tehran were a “treasure trove” capable of strengthening the nation’s offensive posture, but he did not provide any immediate evidence.
The Israeli government, which has never revealed details about its nuclear arsenal, said to comprise substantial atomic weapons, making it the only country in the Middle East with nuclear bombs, has not yet commented on the report of the leaked documents.
However, there have been arrests of Israelis allegedly spying for Tehran amid its war in Gaza. It was not clear if the materials were connected to a reported hacking of an Israeli nuclear research centre last year.
“The transfer of this treasure trove was time-consuming and required security measures. Naturally, the transfer methods will remain confidential, but the documents should be unveiled soon,” Khatib said.
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He described the volume, saying, “Talking of thousands of documents would be an understatement.”
“The sheer volume of the materials and the need to securely transfer the entire shipment into the country necessitated a period of media silence,” state broadcaster IRIB reported, citing sources, and adding that the documents had reached “secure locations”.
Nuclear capabilities and negotiations
The latest development comes as part of a broader campaign of covert operations that Iran and Israel have waged against each other for years.
While Tehran has accused Israel of assassinating its nuclear scientists, Israel has blamed Iran for supporting armed groups across the region that target its interests.
Iran and Israel exchanged limited strikes in April 2024 after Iran retaliated for Israel’s bombing of its embassy in Syria’s Damascus, but a war was avoided. The US recently told Israel to stand down on any plans to attack Iranian nuclear sites as negotiations between Washington and Tehran are ongoing.
There is also a sharp focus on Iran’s nuclear programme following a report last week by the United Nations nuclear watchdog that said Tehran had carried out secret nuclear activities. Iran will likely face censure this week from the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency over these questions about its programme.
While Iran has denied wanting to create or have nuclear weapons, it has insisted that it intends to develop nuclear technology for peaceful, civilian purposes.
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That is a key sticking point in the concurrent Iran-US indirect talks, several rounds of which have been held in Oman and Italy about a possible nuclear deal aimed at resolving a decades-long dispute over its nuclear ambitions.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the current US proposal to abandon Iran’s uranium enrichment programme was “100 percent against our interests”.
“The rude and arrogant leaders of America repeatedly demand that we should not have a nuclear programme. Who are you to decide whether Iran should have enrichment?” he said, without mentioning stopping the ongoing talks.
Iran’s parliament speaker said on Sunday that the latest US proposal for a nuclear deal does not include the lifting of sanctions, state media reported, suggesting negotiations may have hit an impasse.