‘You have 12 hours’: Audio of threatening phone call between Israel and Iranian general emerges

Audio of a threatening phone call between a senior Iranian general and an agent from Israeli intelligence has shed new light on the conflict.

Audio of an ominous phone call between an Israeli intelligence officer and a senior Iranian general has shed new light on the covert activity happening behind the scenes of the conflict between the two countries.

The Washington Post obtained and published the audio, from a call which took place mere hours after Israel launched its initial strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities on June 13.

This morning, US President Donald Trump announced a tentative ceasefire between the nations, which have been bombing each other sporadically for more than a week. You can read more about that in our live coverage.

Back to the phone call. The Post removed the voice of the general to avoid identifying him. The paper said the agent with Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, had already been digitally altered when it obtained the recording.

This is how the conversation unfolded.

“I’m calling from a country which, two hours ago, sent Salami, Bagheri and Shamkhani to hell,” the agent said, referring to senior Iranian targets killed by Israel, among them Hossein Salami, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“And now for you, now I’m suggesting you...”

There was crosstalk at that point, and the Mossad agent had to ask whether the general could actually hear him.

“Listen carefully. I’m calling from a country that – I’ll explain to you. Listen carefully,” he said, trying again.

“I’m calling from a country that, two hours ago, sent Bagheri, Salami, Shamkhani, one by one, to hell.

“I can advise you now, you have 12 hours to escape with your wife and child. Otherwise you are on our list right now. All of you, one by one, are on the list that I am looking at, and you are our next targets.

“We will hit you, your family, your children, everyone, with the dirt. I only called to tell you, while there’s time. I will give you a reprieve. Like I said, 12 hours from this very minute that I spoke to you, you have time to escape.

“If not, you have no one to blame but yourself. We’re closer to you than your own neck vein. Put this in your head. May God protect you.”

The Israeli operative noted that his country had just killed Hossein Salami, head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Picture: Atta Kenare/AFP

The Iranian seemed confused in response, prompting the Israeli agent to reiterate his message.

“All of these savages, all of these people like Salami, we sent them to that same place they should have gone to much earlier,” said the Israeli agent.

“Do you want to be one of them? Do you want to be the next one on the list? Do you also want to destroy your wife and child?”

There was a long pause.

“So what should I do now?” the general asked.

“I’m telling you right now. I gave you a proposal,” said the Israeli.

“Say it,” said the Iranian.

“You have 12 hours to make a video saying, ‘We have walked away from this government, and we are unwilling to sacrifice our lives for people who destroyed our country for 46 years. They only killed, stole took. They only cut the children of this country into pieces,’” said the Mossad agent.

“Well, how should I send it to you?” the general asked.

“I will send you a Telegram ID. Send it,” said the agent.

“Look, we have everything on you. It seems you haven’t understood. It’s clear you don’t even understand where you are right now.

“I’m telling you we hit all your leaders. We turned them into powder. Now you’re sitting here, and you think you’re talking to me. I’m calling to give you a proposal to save your wife and child, you wretch. Are you confused?”

The call ended with more logistics about how, exactly, the Iranian general was supposed to send the video to Israel.

You can watch the conversation, in part, in the video player at the top of the page

Two of the main players here: Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and US President Donald Trump. Picture: Atta Kenare and Charly Triballeau/AFP

Iran and Israel have been trading fire ever since those initial Israeli air strikes on June 13. The United States then joined in, bombing three Iranian nuclear sites.

Today, hopes of a de-escalation were bolstered when Iran responded to the American attack with a token strike on a US base in Qatar, which resulted in no casualties. That was followed by Mr Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire.

“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE!” Mr Trump wrote on social media.

“It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately six hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for twelve hours, at which point the WAR will be considered, ENDED!

“Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World.

“During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL. On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, “THE 12 DAY WAR”.

“This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!

“DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

It was later reported that Iran had agreed to the ceasefire proposal via Qatar, which as acted as an intermediary between the United States, Israel and both Iran and Hamas.

Originally published as ‘You have 12 hours’: Audio of threatening phone call between Israel and Iranian general emerges