Israel said Iran was behind a cyberattack on a hospital in central Israel earlier this month that led to a leak of patient data, the National Cyber Directorate said, describing it as part of a broader wave of Iran-backed operations targeting Israeli institutions.
The attack took place on October 2, the Jewish Day of Atonement known as Yom Kippur, when much of the country was shut down for the holiday.
“Among the bodies that were attacked in the wave of Iranian attacks were Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), where the attackers tried to interfere with hospital operations, without success,” said Yosi Karadi, head of the directorate in a statement.
“In the case of Shamir Medical Center, beyond the data leak, the very attempt to damage an Israeli hospital means a red line has been crossed, which could have led to an attack on human life,” Karadi added.
The hospital is a government-run medical complex in Be’er Yaakov, southeast of Tel Aviv, and one of Israel’s largest, serving patients from across the central region.
Karadi said the incident was contained “quickly and efficiently” thanks to coordination among government agencies.
The directorate said the breach was part of a broader pattern of Iranian cyber activity aimed at Israeli government bodies and private companies. It said hackers used stolen usernames and passwords to gain access to systems.
The agency said there had been at least 10 such cyberattacks.
“Over the course of recent weeks, the National Cyber Directorate has identified a trend of a wave of cyberattacks against companies that offer computer services to many companies in the economy,” the statement added.
Israeli authorities had initially blamed a Russian-speaking hacker group called Qilin, which reportedly demanded a $700,000 ransom, before investigators said they traced the operation to Iranian sources.
Earlier this year, Israel’s deputy cyber defense chief said cyberattacks against the country had tripled since the country's war with Hamas began on October 7, 2023, with Iran and its allied groups, including Hezbollah, intensifying their hacking efforts.
Since the ceasefire between Iran and Israel in June that ended the 12-day war, nearly 450 cyberattacks have targeted Israeli institutions, many traced to hacker groups aligned with Iran, cybersecurity experts told Iran International in early July.
Iran faces stark economic and geopolitical challenges as a lingering impasse over its nuclear program led to the resumption of European-triggered international sanctions last month.
Western countries have called for Tehran to engage in renewed diplomacy with Washington and restored access to international nuclear inspectors.
Speaking at a seminar on “resistance diplomacy” at Ferdowsi University in Mashhad, Esmail Baghaei said: “We must use all tools to protect the country’s rights -- whether through missiles or diplomacy and negotiation.”
“The concept of resistance has now evolved and taken the form of resilience,” he said, adding that that Iran’s approach combines self-reliance with international engagement.
His comments appeared to strike a relatively moderate tone, two days after Iran's ultimate decision-maker Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei appeared to reject a peace overture by President Trump and deployed sharp language at his nemesis.
The 86-year-old veteran ruler called Trump's repeated assertions that US attacks on June 22 had obliterated Iran's nuclear program "nonsense" and in a rare direct address to a US President told him to "keep dreaming."
Khamenei appeared to rule out renewed talks, calling reported US demands for curbs to Iranian missile ranges and Tehran's support for regional armed groups bullying and a
Baghaei said Iran faces powerful adversaries but remains capable of shaping developments within the international system.
“Our opponents invoke international law to justify their actions, so we must also rely on the same law to prove our rights,” he said. “Resistance diplomacy must be seen as an active instrument to secure national interests.”
He defended Tehran’s stance in the wake of the UN sanctions snapback mechanism, saying that Western powers had expected immediate compliance but were surprised by global resistance to reimposing restrictions.
Support for regional groups
Addressing Iran’s backing of allied groups in the region, Baghaei rejected the notion that Tehran created “proxy” groups.
“We did not create them,” he said. “The issues of Palestine and Lebanon did not begin in 1979 (when the Islamic Republic was established). These movements existed long before, and we have supported them based on our constitutional and strategic principles.”
Baghaei added that Iran’s support is “based on a defined framework” and that “to prevent harm, we must build allies within the international system.”
He said the resilience of such movements is enduring despite repeated attempts to weaken them.
“After two years, those who claimed resistance was finished end up sitting at the same table with them,” he said. “The foundations of resistance are deeply rooted and cannot be easily destroyed.”
On diplomacy and international law
Baghaei also defended Iran’s record on diplomacy, citing past cooperation with global institutions and negotiations with Washington.
He recalled that after the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran “remained committed for months” before gradually reducing compliance.
He also noted that indirect talks with the United States had taken place under both Trump and Biden but collapsed due to continued sanctions and regional tensions.
“When one side plans an attack and then invites you to a meeting, how can you attend such a session?” he said, referring to recent incidents.
In an interview with ISNA, Shamkhani said national cohesion was vital in the face of external pressure and domestic challenges.
“We are all in the same boat shaped by the sacrifices of the martyrs of the Islamic Revolution, and it would be a shame if our differences created weaknesses,” he said.
He urged all political groups to “act together under the leadership of the Supreme Leader,” adding that adversaries were trying to exploit divisions to harm the country.
The comments came just days after footage surfaced online showing Shamkhani escorting his daughter at a wedding ceremony in a Tehran luxury hotel.
The video, shared widely on X since mid-October, appeared to show a large, Western-style celebration and drew sharp criticism from social media users accusing officials of hypocrisy amid the country’s deepening economic crisis and renewed enforcement of hijab rules.
The wedding reportedly took place in April 2024 at Tehran’s Espinas Palace Hotel. At the time, Iranian outlets estimated the cost at about 14 billion rials (over $21,000). The family did not comment on the reports, and Shamkhani has not publicly addressed the new controversy surrounding the footage.
Shamkhani, a former secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and now a member of the Expediency Council, has long been a prominent figure in Iran’s security establishment. He also serves as the Supreme Leader’s representative in the National Defense Council.
Leak fuels political blame game
The video has drawn reactions even from hardline circles. Some conservative commentators questioned how senior officials could call for patience under sanctions while appearing at opulent private events. Others defended Shamkhani, saying the ceremony was private and attended only by family members.
Former state broadcaster chief Ezzatollah Zarghami described the exposure as “a new method of assassination,” accusing Israel of waging psychological warfare through cyberattacks. IRGC-linked Mashregh News also said the leak aimed to “undermine an effective official,” blaming both “foreign enemies and certain domestic circles.”
The hardline daily Kayhan, which is funded by the Supreme Leader’s office, went further, accusing allies of former president Hassan Rouhani and ex-foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of involvement. The paper called the release of the footage a “proxy character assassination,” saying that Shamkhani’s past criticism of Rouhani’s handling of nuclear policy had fueled political resentment.
Pro-hardline activists echoed that view online, arguing that the leak followed Shamkhani’s recent comments implicating the previous administration in the delayed acknowledgment of the 2020 downing of a Ukrainian airliner by the Revolutionary Guards.
Figures close to Rouhani have denied any connection to the leak. A source told the news outlet Khabar Online that the act was “unethical and contrary to Islamic norms.”
In a formal decree on Tuesday, Pezeshkian instructed the judiciary, the ministries of interior, intelligence, justice, foreign affairs, and economy, as well as the Central Bank, to implement the law in accordance with national regulations -- a condition that could limit its impact even as Tehran seeks to ease its isolation from the global financial system.
Under conditions set by parliament and endorsed by the Expediency Council, Iran will act “within the framework of the constitution,” and in cases where any provision of the convention conflicts with national laws, “domestic legislation will take precedence,” council spokesman Mohsen Dehnavi said.
The move, which follows years of political wrangling, comes just a day before the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary in Paris on October 22–24, where delegates from over 200 jurisdictions will discuss mutual evaluations and global efforts to combat money laundering and terror financing.
Iran’s Financial Intelligence Unit chief, Hadi Khani, has traveled to Paris to attend FATF plenary for the first time in six years at the group’s official invitation, according to state media.
Khani, who also serves as deputy economy minister and secretary of Iran’s Anti–Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Council, is expected to outline Iran’s progress on its action plan, focusing on the recent approval of its accession to the UN Palermo Convention against transnational organized crime.
The Iranian delegation will brief FATF members on legislative and implementation steps and coordinate future meetings to address questions and clarify outstanding issues, IRNA reported.
In May, Iran’s Expediency Council, conditionally approved the country’s accession to the Palermo Convention, one of the two key legislative items tied to the FATF standards, alongside the CFT.
The Expediency Council, overseen by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, mediates disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council, a body that vets laws and candidates.
Supporters say joining the UN convention could help Iran align with FATF standards, reconnect with global banking systems, and attract investment, while hardliners warn it risks exposing financial channels used to evade US sanctions and fund regional allies.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf sent the bill to Pezeshkian for implementation under Article 123 of the constitution last week after lawmakers rejected a conservative-backed motion to block the move, clearing the way for Iran to finalize its accession.
Iran and North Korea remain the only two countries still outside the FATF framework.