Hackers have reportedly infiltrated Iran’s state-run media outlets and are using the airwaves to encourage Iranians to rise up against their government.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show Iran’s TV broadcasts being hijacked. The television screen shows images of the recent protests against the regime’s onerous laws against women. “Rise up! This is your moment! Go out into the streets! Take control of your future,” the subtitles read.
The text further notes that “the regime has failed to protect Iran’s airspace, it has failed in its offensive efforts. It has failed to protect your money.”
The hackers also took the regime to task for funneling their money into its military endeavors instead of taking care of its citizens.
#BREAKING: Several Iranian TV channels, including state-controlled IRIB, have been hacked and are airing messages criticizing the Iranian terrorist regime and calling on the people to rise up. pic.twitter.com/Km0XxX4Fjo
— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) June 18, 2025
This is not the first time hackers have targeted Iranian state television. Back in 2022, hacktivist group Edalat-e Ali took over a live broadcast. They displayed a picture of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with the words “The Blood of Our Youths Is on Your Hands” emblazoned on the screen. It showed images of women’s rights activist Mahsa Amini and three other girls murdered by the regime during the protests.
#BREAKING The Edalat-e Ali hacktivist group hacked the Iranian state TV's live news broadcast, displaying a photo of Khamenei with the verse "The Blood of Our Youths Is on Your Hands" along with photos of #MahsaAmini and three other girls killed in #IranProtests. pic.twitter.com/dYM7flUBQt
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) October 8, 2022
NBC News reported on Wednesday that hackers also made their way into Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex. They drained the exchange of more than $90 million.
The funds were drained from platform wallets into addresses bearing anti-government messages explicitly referencing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, pointing to a politically motivated cyberattack, Elliptic said.
Pro-Israel hacking group Gonjeshke Darande, or “Predatory Sparrow,” claimed responsibility for the attack and said it would release the exchange’s source code. Elliptic said the exchange was offline at the time of its post.
Predatory Sparrow also claimed credit for a separate cyberattack on Iran’s state-owned Bank Sepah this week.
It is not yet known which group was responsible for Wednesday’s hacks into Iran’s TV networks. However, it appears to be part of an effort to inspire Iranians to rise up against the regime. The hackers seem to want to motivate the citizenry to topple the government and regain their freedom. Perhaps they are banking on the recent wave of dissatisfaction with the regime that has been growing in Iranian society over recent years.
This development comes as the Trump administration considers joining Israel’s war against Iran to eliminate the country’s nuclear program. The president has stressed repeatedly that the Iranian regime must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. However, his approach has relied mostly on diplomacy.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member