Iran Encourages Citizens to Inform on Iranians Abroad in Extended Surveillance Effort

Iran has launched a new initiative encouraging its citizens to report on Iranians living abroad, a move that effectively crowdsources surveillance of the diaspora through a website and messaging platforms. The platform, known as Alaj, which translates to “remedy” or “cure” in Persian, prompts users to submit information about individuals overseas accused of acting against Iran’s national interests or security. This program was promoted through Iranian state television and the Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Fars News Agency, and tips could be submitted via the Alaj website, a Telegram bot, and Iran's Bale messaging service.

An Iranian official source confirmed the existence of Alaj and its associated Telegram chatbot to Fox News Digital, stating that it was established as a system for individuals to report on Iranians abroad. The platform was subsequently taken down after facing significant criticism within Iran, although the exact reasons for its suspension remain contested. Iran International reported that Alaj claimed to have identified and monitored 1,600 individuals, with approximately 600 identified through public submissions, though these figures have not been independently verified. The platform reportedly published names, photographs, national identification numbers, and other personal details of some Iranians living outside the country.

Journalist and foreign policy analyst Lisa Daftari described the initiative as a significant development, emphasizing that Iran is soliciting its own citizens to report on each other. "Even if it's just the perception that other Iranians can report you or can get you in trouble or that this app exists, it makes a lot of people fearful," Daftari told Fox News Digital. "You'll think twice before going to that next protest." The fear is particularly acute for members of the Iranian diaspora who have family remaining in Iran, as any reported activity could potentially lead to repercussions for their relatives. "Now your face could be captured, you can get in trouble. If you have family in Iran, they can get into trouble," Daftari added.

Daftari characterized Alaj as a digital extension of Iran's long-standing system of control, where the clerical establishment has historically fostered an environment of uncertainty regarding whether neighbors, colleagues, or acquaintances might report information to authorities. "Now the regime wants to take this show on the road and do that here, here in the West," Daftari said. "They want to intimidate people. And it works."

Daftari has personally experienced such intimidation, reporting instances of being followed, hacked multiple times, and approached in person in Los Angeles and New York. After a significant hacking incident compromised her social media and email accounts, she was contacted by her local FBI office. Hackers also obtained private photographs of her and sent them to her husband, a tactic Daftari believes is intended to intimidate and silence dissent. "The message they want to send is very clear, that we know where you are, we can reach you," she said.

The effects of this surveillance campaign extend beyond prominent activists and journalists. Daftari recalled an instance where individuals at a public gathering in Los Angeles attempted to hide their faces from her camera, fearing that any footage could reach Iran and expose their families to retaliation. This dynamic, she explained, illustrates why a system like Alaj can be effective even if targets are unaware of specific reports filed against them.

Daftari stated that this broader campaign of intimidation influences her own behavior, making her constantly consider security measures, from parking locations to the information she shares online. "It does silence a lot of people and it does change the freedom by which we think we can operate here in the United States where we believe we have full freedom," she said. "Their intimidation works. It works to a certain extent on each individual."

She argues that this extended threat should broaden the understanding of the confrontation with Tehran, suggesting that the danger is not confined to Iran's nuclear program but extends to its ideology. "It's not just about nuclear weapons, it's about a deadly ideology that has made its way here to U.S. soil. We have to understand that," Daftari concluded.