A senior Iran police commander recently made a desperate plea for help to an Israeli Mossad agent in a leaked phone call, underscoring the growing internal pressure on the Islamic Republic. According to the Wall Street Journal, the call was one of several by Israeli intelligence warning Iranian security officials and their families that they could face grave consequences if they did not step aside during a popular uprising aimed at toppling the regime.
In the recording, the Mossad agent spoke in Farsi: “We know everything about you. You are on our blacklist, and we have all the information about you. I called to warn you in advance that you should stand with your people’s side. And if you will not do that, your destiny will be as your leader [Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]. Do you hear me?”
The police commander’s response was stark and urgent: “Brother, I swear on the Koran, I’m not your enemy. I’m a dead man already. Just please come help us.”
Since February 28, the United States and Israel have coordinated efforts to weaken Iran’s theocratic regime. The US has primarily targeted military and industrial facilities, while Israel has focused on regime leaders and security personnel. According to the Journal, Israel has launched more than 10,000 munitions against strategic targets, including over 2,200 strikes linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Basij paramilitary, and other internal security forces. Casualties are believed to be in the thousands, though exact figures remain unconfirmed.
By the first week of March, Israeli attacks had already killed hundreds of Iranian military and security members who had gathered at sports complexes intended as backup facilities in the event of a main headquarters strike. The scale of the assaults has forced some security personnel to sleep in cars or inside mosques for safety.
Recently, Israel has refined its operations with targeted drone strikes on Basij roadblocks and other strategic positions in Tehran and across Iranian cities, using information provided by civilians. On May 13, the Mossad’s Farsi-language X account posted a warning to the public: “Avoid Basij gatherings. All of them, whether in the streets or in their homes, are potential targets.” Three days later, the account added: “Your final battle will begin soon. We are with you in the sky on earth and in our hearts.”
The leaked call and ongoing strikes illustrate a widening rift within Iran’s security forces. For the Iran police commander, and others caught between loyalty and survival, the choice is stark. The desperation in his voice signals the pressure building inside the country and reflects the complex web of military, intelligence, and civilian forces influencing the future of the Islamic Republic.
