Trump denies initiating peace talks with Iran, blasts ‘fake news’ reports

Iran’s Cyber Security Command has banned government officials and their security teams from using any devices connected to public communication or telecommunications networks, Fars news agency reported on Tuesday.

The directive follows growing concerns over the use of mobile phone tracking for targeted assassinations inside Iran. It may also aimed at preventing incidents similar to last year's pager attack by Israel against Hezbollah members.

The IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency said on Monday that Israel has used such technology to kill individuals, including nuclear scientists, during recent strikes.

Fars warned that even turning off mobile phones at sensitive locations may not prevent location tracking and recommended the use of secure, anti-tracking devices.

Separately, Tehran lawmaker Hamid Rasaei wrote on X that all officials and their associates must hand in their phones to reduce the risk of being tracked.

“The use of connected devices by officials and their security personnel is now prohibited,” Fars quoted the Cyber Security Command as saying, without specifying which government departments were affected or whether exceptions would apply.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Tuesday criticized the Group of Seven (G7) for what he described as a failure to address what he called Israel’s unlawful and blatant aggression against Iran.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Baghaei accused the G7 of overlooking attacks that Tehran says have resulted in civilian casualties and damage to public infrastructure.

The G7 leaders, in their joint statement on Monday, reaffirmed their support for Israel’s right to self-defense. “We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself… Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror,” the statement read.

The bloc reiterated that “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon” and called for a resolution to the Iranian crisis that contributes to a broader de-escalation, including a ceasefire in Gaza.

Baghaei urged permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, particularly those within the G7, to uphold their legal and moral responsibilities under the UN Charter.

“Israel has launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran,” Baghaei said, alleging violations of Article 2(4) of the Charter and international norms protecting peaceful nuclear facilities.

He warned that continued inaction by the Security Council could undermine the credibility of the UN and called for an immediate halt to hostilities and accountability for violations of international law.

The group alleged it had “destroyed all data” at the bank.The claim comes amid reports of widespread banking disruptions in Iran.

Several Bank Sepah branches were closed on Tuesday, and customers told Iran International they were unable to access their accounts.

Bank Sepah has 1,800 branches in Iran and others in Britain, France, Germany and Italy. The United States imposed sanctions on Bank Sepah in 2019 after it withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal.

Users also reported that cards issued by Kosar and Ansar -- both linked to Iran’s military --banks were not functioning. Ansar was also under US sanctions.

Iranian authorities have not commented on the outages or the cyberattack. However, IRGC’s Fars news said that the issue at Sepah Bank will be resolved within a few hours

Predatory Sparrow, which has previously claimed cyber operations against Iranian steel plants and fuel stations, said in a social media post that Bank Sepah had been used to finance military programs and circumvent international sanctions.

The group, which Iran has previously accused of having foreign backing, notably from Israel, said it had targeted the bank for its alleged role in supporting Iran’s missile and nuclear efforts.

Several branches of Iran’s Bank Sepah were reported closed on Tuesday, with customers saying they were unable to access their accounts, according to witness reports shared with Iran International.

“We went to the branch, and it was closed. We have no access to our account,” one customer told the outlet.

Separately, users reported widespread issues with debit cards from Ansar Bank and Kosar Bank, saying transactions had been failing since the morning.

All the three banks are linked to Iran’s military.

There was no immediate comment from the banks or Iranian authorities on the reported outages.

A Frontline (FRO.OL) oil tanker,Front Eagle, was involved in a ship collision near the Strait of Hormuz, Norwegian business daily DN reported on Tuesday, citing the company.

Further details, including the extent of damage or potential environmental impact, were not immediately available.

The Strait of Hormuz, southern Iran, is a key chokepoint for global oil shipments. Iran has threatened to close the strategic waterway in the wake of the conflict.

The United Arab Emirates coast guard said on Tuesday it had evacuated 24 people from oil tanker ADALYNN following a collision between two ships in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz.

British maritime security firm Ambrey earlier reported an incident 22 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the UAE, and said the cause of the incident was not security-related.