Iran has promoted a new system encouraging citizens to report information about Iranians living abroad, effectively crowdsourcing surveillance of the diaspora through a website and messaging platforms including Telegram, according to Iranian media reports and an Iranian official source who confirmed the program to Fox News Digital.The platform, known as Alaj — Persian for "remedy" or "cure" — asks users to provide information on people overseas whom it accuses of acting against Iran’s national interests or security.Iran International reported that tips could be submitted through the Alaj website, a Telegram bot and Iran’s Bale messaging service.
The outlet reported that Iranian state television and the Revolutionary Guard-affiliated Fars News Agency also promoted the initiative.An Iranian official source confirmed to Fox News Digital that Alaj and the Telegram chatbot were established as a new system through which certain individuals could report information about Iranians living abroad.The source said the website was subsequently taken down after the project drew significant criticism inside Iran.IRAN ALLEGEDLY USED SOCCER CLUBS TO SPY ON CITIZENS, OPPOSITION GROUP URGES FIFA BAN REGIME BEFORE WORLD CUPIranian members of the diaspora, activists, gathered in front of the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin during the 'United Against Executions in Iran' protest on January 27, 2024.
Organized by the Echo Iran group, this protest condemned the increase in death sentences by the rulers of the Islamic Republic of Iran.(Echo Iran/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)The website did go offline shortly after its public rollout, although the reason for its suspension remains disputed.Iran International reported that Alaj claimed to have identified and monitored 1,600 people, including roughly 600 identified through reports submitted by members of the public.
Those numbers have not been independently verified.The platform published names and photographs of ...