Iran Security Row: Smartwatches on Senior Officials Spark Fresh Criticism

Photos of Iranian Security Chiefs Wearing Smartwatches Raise Questions Over Operational Security

Senior Iranian military and security officials have come under fresh scrutiny after photographs emerged showing them wearing smartwatches, prompting criticism over security practices amid repeated Israeli operations targeting senior Iranian commanders.

The photographs were posted on X on Friday by Ali Gholhaki, a conservative commentator reportedly linked to Iran's security establishment. The images show smartwatches being worn by Gholamreza Jalali, head of Iran's Passive Defense Organization, Defense Ministry official Reza Farahi, and former Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani. 

Shamkhani was killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28, the opening day of the current war, according to Iran International. He had previously survived an Israeli strike in June 2025. 

The controversy is particularly sensitive because smartwatches can potentially transmit location and activity information through GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Some devices also contain microphones and other sensors, raising concerns about their use by senior officials involved in sensitive military and security operations.

Jalali Defends Use of Smartwatch

When questioned by a Fars News reporter about his smartwatch, Jalali reportedly compared the device to a smart television, asking whether ordinary people also use smart TVs at home.

Gholhaki rejected the comparison, arguing that senior officials responsible for national security face significantly different risks from ordinary citizens. He questioned why officials responsible for protecting Iran's critical infrastructure would continue using devices that could potentially expose their movements or routines. 

The debate comes after Iran imposed restrictions on connected electronic devices during the June 2025 war. According to Iran International, Iran's Cyber Security Command instructed officials and their security teams not to use devices connected to public communications networks, including smartphones, laptops and smartwatches. 

Previous Tracking Concerns

The smartwatch controversy also revives questions about how Israeli intelligence has managed to locate senior Iranian officials.

The New York Times previously reported, citing Iranian and Israeli officials, that Israeli intelligence had tracked senior Iranian leaders and nuclear scientists by exploiting the phones of bodyguards and drivers. In one reported incident in June 2025, officials meeting at a secure underground location were reportedly located through phones carried by their bodyguards. 

Gholhaki has linked the latest photographs to what he describes as broader intelligence and security failures within Iran and has called for a postwar investigation into how senior officials were exposed.

The episode has therefore become more than a debate over personal technology: it has highlighted continuing concerns over electronic security and operational discipline among Iran's senior military and political leadership.