Iran has issued a stark warningto its citizens living overseas that openly supportingmilitary strikes by the United States and Israelcould put their property and wealth at risk.
The Jerusalem Postreported that in a statement on Monday, the Office of Iran's Prosecutor General said that Iranians abroad who 'sympathise, support or cooperate with the American‑Zionist enemy' could have all their assets seized and face legal consequences.
Iran's courts have warned that Iranians living abroad could lose their property in Iran if they support countries the government calls enemies, especially the US and Israel. This specifically targets people who openly backed recent military actions by these countries.
The government points to a law passed last year that makes the definition of 'cooperation' very broad. It can include anything that might be seen as helping these foreign powers. Under this law, Tehran says it can seize the property of those involved and impose other punishments.
The authorities haven't explained exactly how they will decide who is affected. But the goal, according to state media, is to discourage public support for military actions Iran sees as a threat.
The warning comes afterjoint US‑Israeli attacks on Iranian targets, which led tothe sudden death of Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was quickly named as the new leader
Some Iranians living outside the country, especially in the US and Europe, have publicly supported the strikes on social media or at local rallies. Certain Telegram channels have even highlighted people of Iranian origin who criticised Tehran and praised the attacks.
It's not clear how the Iranian judiciary will track Iranians supporting the strike abroad. But there are several possible ways.
Iranian authorities may monitor public posts on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, and Facebook. Even if someone posts from abroad, it can be traced via their username, photos, geotags, or IP address. Iranians widely use Telegram, and some channels are known to report 'anti-government' activity back to authorities.
Besides, Iran has invested in cyber surveillance and data-gathering tools. They can track IP addresses, VPN leaks, and other online activity. Even if someone uses anonymity tools, mistakes in their digital footprint can reveal their location.
Source: International Business Times UK
