Beginning in mid-June 2025 and tapering off in early July 2025, a widespread telecommunications disruption affected international calls directed to Iranian phone numbers. The disruption occurred amid escalating military conflict between Israel and Iran.
Callers, primarily from the Iranian diaspora in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and other Western nations, reported their attempts to reach family and friends in Iran being intercepted by 'automated, robotic voices' delivering 'cryptic, pre-recorded messages' in broken English and Farsi.
The interceptions coincided with Iranian government-imposed internet blackouts and communication restrictions following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Experts speculated that the phenomenon could be the result of a cyber operation, possibly orchestrated by the Iranian regime to control information flow, or by foreign adversaries engaging in psychological warfare.[1][2]
Background
editThe interceptions occurred amidst the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict, which erupted in June 2025 following Israeli airstrikes on Iran's nuclear program, including facilities at Fordo and Natanz. Israel justified the attacks as 'preemptive measures' against Iran's alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons, despite Tehran's claims of a 'peaceful program'.[3] In response, Iran launched ballistic missile barrages at Israeli targets.
Iran soon imposed severe communication blackouts (internet shutdowns, mobile network restrictions) to curb the spread of information and potential mobilization against the regime.[4] This was part of a broader pattern of digital repression by the Iranian government, which has historically used surveillance tools to track dissenters.[5][6]
Pro-Iranian hackers have targeted Israeli and U.S. infrastructure, and vice versa. Groups like Lemon Sandstorm (affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) conducted prolonged infiltrations of Middle Eastern networks.[7] The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued advisories warning of heightened Iranian cyber threats.[8]
Description
editCallers attempting to dial Iranian landlines and mobile numbers from abroad reported their calls being redirected to automated systems playing robotic voices, including the two following messages:
- "Aló [hello]? Aló [hello]? I can't heard [hear] you. I can't heard [hear] you. Who do you want to speak with? I'm Alyssa. Do you remember me? I think I don't know who are you [who you are]."[9]
- "Thank you for taking the time to listen. Today, I'd like to share some thoughts with you and share a few things that might resonate in our daily lives. Life is full of unexpected surprises, and these surprises can sometimes bring joy, while at other times, they challenge us."[10]
Other variations featured philosophical musings or attempts to engage the caller in conversation, such as asking "Who are you?" or playing eerie music before the voice activated.[11] The voices were described as synthetic, possibly 'generated by AI',[citation needed] while static and not interactive.
Calls were typically diverted without ring time. Some[who?] labeled this as potential interception at the network level.[12]
No definitive attribution to the phenomenon has been confirmed as of mid-August 2025.
Responses
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ Heather Chen (June 21, 2025). "'Life is full of unexpected surprises': People trying to call Iran hear mysterious robotic voices amid blackout". CNN. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ Farnoush Amiri and Sarah El Deeb (June 20, 2025). "A woman tried to call her mom in Iran. A robotic voice answered the phone". Associated Press. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ The New York Times Staff (July 3, 2025). "Explosions and Buzzing Drones Heard as Israel and Iran Exchange Strikes". The New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "'Close your eyes and…': Robotic voices answer calls to Iran as families abroad struggle to connect". The Indian Express. June 21, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "To the Diaspora in Europe, a question regarding phone calls to Iran". Reddit (r/NewIran). June 16, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ Goldie Ghamari [@gghamari] (July 14, 2025). "I'm listening anonymously to an Iranian space..." (Tweet). Retrieved August 10, 2025 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Two Years Under the Radar: Iranian Cyber Campaign Breached National Infrastructure in the Middle East". Israel Defense. May 7, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "Iran Threat Overview and Advisories". Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). June 30, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "Robotic voice answers when some Iranians living abroad try to call home". ABC7. June 21, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ ""Life is full of unexpected surprises": The mystery of Iran's robotic voice calls amid blackout". The Economic Times. June 22, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "'Who are you?' Mysterious AI voices answer calls of Iranians". The Times of India. June 22, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "A woman tried to call her mom in Iran. A robotic voice answered the phone". Good Morning America. June 20, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ Arya [@AryJeay] (June 25, 2025). "🇮🇷 | Iran's Ministry of Intelligence issued a notice..." (Tweet). Retrieved August 10, 2025 – via Twitter.
- ^ "U.S. Agencies Warn of Rising Iranian Cyber Attacks on Defense, OT Networks, and Critical Infrastructure". The Hacker News. June 30, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.