Israel’s claim regarding espionage by a Russian national for Iran

On Friday morning, the Israeli prosecution announced that a Russian citizen named Vitaly Zvyagintsev, approximately 30 years old, who had been residing in the occupied Palestinian territories with a work permit, is facing serious security-related charges.

According to the indictment submitted to the Central District Court, he is accused of collecting and documenting “sensitive information” in the context of contact with a so-called “foreign agent.”

Israeli security bodies claim that the individual was operating under the direction of intelligence forces affiliated with Iran and carried out missions that included photographing and filming security facilities, ports, and military centers.

Based on these claims, Zvyagintsev photographed ports, military facilities, and naval vessels between October and December 2025, including U.S. and Israeli warships of the “AMC” type and Dolphin-class submarines.

It is also alleged that he conducted photography at locations such as the Port of Eilat, the Port of Haifa, the Port of Ashdod, the Herzliya Marina, the oil refinery area in Nesher, and the Ramat David Air Force Base.

According to the account of Israeli security agencies, he was arrested in early December on suspicion of committing serious security offenses. The same claims assert that investigations reveal how intelligence operatives in Tehran exploited the presence of a foreign resident in the occupied territories to carry out sensitive reconnaissance missions, with the aim of laying the groundwork for future attacks against Israeli targets.

According to details in a joint statement by the spokespersons of Shin Bet (Israel’s General Security Agency) and the Ministry of War, the relationship between Zvyagintsev and his handlers began in October 2025. The suspect was in direct contact with an individual calling himself “Roman,” who presented himself as a resident of Russia but was working for Iranian intelligence.

One of the most serious aspects revealed during the investigation was the suspect’s full awareness of his actions. Despite knowing that the requests to photograph the locations were not harmless and that the espionage missions served hostile entities seeking to harm Israel, Zvyagintsev allegedly chose to continue cooperating solely for financial reasons.