Hackers Hijack Iran State TV Satellite Feeds to Broadcast Message from Exiled Crown Prince

Hackers briefly seized satellite transmissions for several channels of Iran's state broadcaster late Sunday, inserting footage of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and urging security forces not to fire on protesters, according to video circulated online and statements from Iranian media.

State TV Disrupted

The intrusion affected multiple channels carried by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state monopoly for radio and television. The hijacked feed showed two clips of Reza Pahlavi and images of men in what appeared to be police or security uniforms. Graphics claimed, without providing evidence, that some security personnel had "laid down their weapons and swore an oath of allegiance to the people," and displayed a message to the military: "Don't point your weapons at the people. Join the nation for the freedom of Iran."

The semiofficial Fars news agency quoted an IRIB statement saying the signal in "some areas of the country was momentarily disrupted by an unknown source," but the broadcaster did not detail what aired during the disruption. Pahlavi's office acknowledged that video of the crown prince appeared in the interrupted broadcast but did not identify who carried out the hack.

"I have a special message for the military. You are the national army of Iran, not the Islamic Republic army," the footage attributed to Pahlavi said. "You have a duty to protect your own lives. You don’t have much time left. Join the people as soon as possible."

How the Footage Spread

Video of the hijack was shared widely on social media and by accounts outside Iran. Some clips appear to have been distributed via satellite internet services such as Starlink, which can circumvent domestic blackouts; Iran has repeatedly restricted internet access during the protests.

Casualties and Verification

Rights groups and activist networks have reported heavy casualties during the security crackdown on nationwide protests. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) put the death toll at least 3,919 people; the agency said the number could climb as more information emerges. The AP and other outlets have not independently verified that figure. Iranian authorities have released few official fatality figures; Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged "several thousand" deaths in a rare public comment and blamed the United States for the unrest.

U.S.-Iran Tensions And Naval Movements

The disruption came amid elevated tensions between Tehran and Washington. Tracking data reviewed by news analysts showed the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several accompanying guided-missile destroyers transited past Singapore into the Strait of Malacca on a route that could carry them toward the Middle East. U.S. media reports have suggested the carrier strike group may be headed toward the region, though transit would take several days before its aircraft could operate in Middle East airspace.

Historical Context

This was not the first time Iranian airwaves were disrupted. In 1986, reports said the CIA aided a clandestine broadcast for supporters of the late Shah's son. In 2022, several channels briefly aired footage of leaders from the exiled Mujahedeen-e-Khalq and an inflammatory graphic targeting Iran's supreme leader. Reza Pahlavi is the son of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who fled Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution; the crown prince has increasingly called for protests against the government during the recent unrest.

How much support Pahlavi enjoys inside Iran remains uncertain. Protesters have at times chanted pro-shah slogans, but analysts caution that visible demonstrations do not necessarily indicate broad backing for a restoration of the monarchy.

Sources: Social media footage, statements from IRIB and Fars, HRANA casualty figures, naval tracking data and historical reporting on prior broadcast intrusions.