Iran Update, August 8, 2025
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s representative to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Abdollah Hajji Sadeghi, implicitly expressed support on August 8 for negotiations with the United States.[11] Sadeghi stated that “wise negotiations under the supervision of the Supreme Leader” could support Iran’s fight against Israel. Iran has not softened its stance on domestic uranium enrichment, which was the main sticking point between Iran and the United States in negotiations before the Israel-Iran War. Multiple Iranian officials, such as Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi, have insisted that Iran will continue domestic uranium enrichment despite the war.[12] The United States has maintained that domestic uranium enrichment is a non-starter in negotiations.[13]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-august-8-2025
Reporting Highlights
Covert Ops: Commandos that the Mossad, Israel's intelligence service, recruited from Iran and neighboring nations destroyed Iranian air defenses in the first hours of a June attack.
Intelligence Gathering: Israeli operatives identified the bedrooms in which Iranian nuclear scientists were sleeping, enabling precise airstrikes.
Cyber Deception: Israel sent a fake message that summoned senior Iranian military leaders to a phantom meeting in a bunker that was then bombed by Israeli jets.
As they had with the pagers, Israeli spies took advantage of their ability to penetrate their adversary's communications systems. Early in the aerial attack, Israeli cyberwarriors sent a fake message to Iran's top military leaders, luring them to a phantom meeting in an underground bunker that was then demolished in a precision strike. Twenty were killed, including three chiefs of staff.
https://www.propublica.org/article/israel-iran-war-mossad-iranian-recruits
Long article
Iran Update, August 11, 2025
Iranian Supreme Leader International Affairs Adviser Ali Akbar Velayati discussed the threats that Iran perceives to its regional influence in an interview on August 9 that underscored Iran’s commitment to its strategic goals despite recent setbacks.[1] Velayati’s statements demonstrate significant continuity between Iran’s pre- and post-war approach to the region and its use of the Axis of Resistance. Velayati reiterated Iran’s support for the Axis of Resistance but notably highlighted the Houthis as a “gem” within the Iranian proxy and partner network.[2] Velayati said that Iran will oppose US-supported efforts to disarm Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. The Lebanese government, which the United States has pressured to disarm Hezbollah, agreed on August 7 to disarm Hezbollah.[3] The United States has similarly pressured the Iraqi government to pass legislation that would disarm or reform the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), which has been opposed by Iran’s Iraqi allies.[4] Velayati held a phone call with the Iraqi State of Law coalition head and Iranian ally in Iraq, Nouri al Maliki, on August 8, in which Maliki emphasized that Iraq will not allow the United States to disarm the PMF, which suggests the pair discussed recent US efforts to undermine the PMF.[5] Velayati also suggested that resistance groups will form in Syria to resist Israel.[6] Khamenei and other Iranian officials have previously framed the post-Assad Syrian landscape as an opportunity for Iran to shape events in Syria through grassroots mobilization, which is consistent with Iranian hopes before the Israel-Iran War.[7]
It remains unclear how Iran will attempt to oppose any of these US-supported efforts, but Velayati’s interview highlights the increased importance of the Houthi Movement within Iran’s Axis of Resistance. The Houthis remain the most unified and capable member of the Axis of Resistance after two years of war, having suffered relatively little damage compared to Hezbollah or Hamas.
Iran has taken steps to protect its nuclear scientists following the 12-day Israel-Iran War. Israel killed at least 14 nuclear scientists during the war.[20] The Telegraph reported on August 11 that Iran has sent its remaining nuclear scientists to safe houses in northern Iran, citing a senior Iranian official.[21] The official said Iran has replaced all the nuclear scientists teaching at universities with individuals who have no connection to Iran’s nuclear program. Iran reportedly assigned each key nuclear scientist at least one deputy in order to try to ensure knowledge continuity.[22] Israeli sources are concerned that some of these deputies have replaced the scientists whom Israel killed during the war. Some of the replacement scientists reportedly have expertise in explosives and warhead design. An Israeli intelligence and defense analyst stated that Iran still has scientists who have previously worked on nuclear weapons delivery systems, including efforts to adapt Shahab-3 missiles to hold nuclear warheads.[23] The senior Iranian official also said Iran has assigned multiple agencies to protect nuclear scientists as opposed to the single Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) unit that handled the scientists’ protection previously.[24]
Iran likely assigned multiple agencies to protect its nuclear scientists to address counterintelligence concerns following the war.[25] The existence of multiple agencies providing security for the scientists enables each agency to ensure the compliance of the other agencies, but it will contribute to siloed organizations that hinder information sharing. Iranian authorities executed an Iranian nuclear scientist on August 6 for reportedly providing Israel with information about another nuclear scientist whom Israel killed during the war.[26]
https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-august-11-2025