Federal Alert Warns Iran May Activate Sleeper Operatives Abroad

U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies warn that Iran might be trying to activate sleeper operatives outside its borders, according to a newly circulated federal alert obtained by ABC News.

Officials say the warning was issued after the U.S. intelligence community intercepted encrypted communications believed to have originated in Iran. Early analysis suggests the transmissions may have served as an “operational trigger” intended for covert assets overseas.

The alert has prompted a nationwide notice to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant.

Encrypted signals raise concerns

According to ABC News, the intercepted messages traveled through several countries before being detected and were heavily encoded. That suggests they were likely meant for recipients who already possess the correct encryption keys.

Security officials say this type of transmission is a known method for sending instructions to prepositioned operatives without relying on the internet or phone networks. Because the messages are broadcast rather than sent directly, they are far more difficult to trace.

Authorities are now monitoring unusual radio activity and other potential indicators that sleeper assets could be receiving instructions.

Rising tensions after Khamenei’s killing

The alert comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate following the Feb. 28 killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the opening salvo in the current war in Iran.

Since then, the conflict has included thousands of aerial sorties and mounting threats of retaliation. U.S. officials have long warned that Iran and its allies could respond asymmetrically rather than through direct military confrontation.

That could include attacks carried out by covert networks operating far from the Middle East.

Possible role of proxies

Security agencies say Iranian-linked groups could play a role if sleeper networks were activated.

Among the concerns:

• Retaliatory actions against U.S. and allied targets abroad
• Sabotage or assassinations executed by embedded operatives
• Activities conducted by proxy groups like Hezbollah or their affiliated networks

Security experts also warn that the conflict increases the risk of cyberattacks by Iranian-linked hackers or secret surveillance operations in Western countries.

Rare but potentially high impact

Sleeper cells involve operatives who live quietly inside another country for years, sometimes decades, waiting for instructions.

The New York Post continues:

The US warning said intelligence had detected a broadcast station repeatedly transmitting a message to multiple countries outside Iran, according to ABC.

“While the exact contents of these transmissions cannot currently be determined, the sudden appearance of a new station with international rebroadcast characteristics warrants heightened situational awareness,” the memo said.

Law enforcement agencies have been called to increase their monitoring of suspicious radio frequencies after the message was intercepted.

While there are no specific credible threats to the public as of yet, counterintelligence experts have warned of the potential for revenge attacks on US soil as a result of the war in Iran.

That reality is part of the reason federal authorities issued the alert. Officials say the goal is early awareness and monitoring rather than reacting after an attack has already occurred.

No confirmed plot

Authorities stress that there is currently no confirmed or credible attack plot tied to the intercepted transmissions.

For now, law enforcement and counterterrorism agencies are increasing monitoring and sharing intelligence across jurisdictions.

Officials say the alert is precautionary. But in the current climate, security agencies are taking the possibility of covert retaliation seriously.

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