On Wednesday, Iran broadcast a state-produced documentary revealing what it claims are extensive details of Israel’s nuclear weapons program, the latest move in Tehran’s intelligence war with Tel Aviv.
The film, titled The Spider’s Nest, was produced by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and aired on state broadcaster IRIB. It showcased thousands of classified documents that Iran says were obtained in a years-long espionage operation, including blueprints, operational data, and intelligence on sensitive facilities such as the Dimona reactor in southern Israel.
The program named 189 Israeli nuclear scientists, engineers, and military personnel allegedly tied to Israel’s weapons program. A video segment — purportedly filmed inside the Dimona facility — was presented as evidence of the scope of Tehran’s infiltration.
One of the film’s most controversial claims targeted International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Raffaele Grossi. Tehran has previously accused the IAEA of colluding with Israel by passing information on Iranian scientists and facilities. In the documentary, Iranian officials alleged that Grossi himself was also being spied on by Israel, releasing what appeared to be personal photos of the agency chief.
Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib had announced earlier this year that the operation, which allegedly began in 2020 and involved dozens of agents, was complete. Wednesday’s release was presented as the fulfillment of Tehran’s promise to publish the information.
The disclosure comes months after Israel’s 12-day war with Iran, during which Tel Aviv assassinated more than 15 Iranian nuclear scientists. Tehran’s exposure of Israeli personnel in The Spider’s Nest may signal a warning that Iran could retaliate by targeting Israeli scientists if such killings continue.
Analysts note that this espionage operation appears to be a direct response to Israel’s 2018 Mossad raid, when Israeli operatives smuggled Iran’s own nuclear archives out of Tehran. With The Spider’s Nest, Iran appears intent on demonstrating both its intelligence reach and its willingness to fight Israel in the shadows of the nuclear standoff.