From Press Vests to Intelligence Concerns: The Iranian Journalists Case in Ukraine

US and Ukrainian authorities are quietly monitoring two Iranian journalists amid suspicions that their activities in Ukraine may be linked to Iranian intelligence structures and sensitive political networks.

Covert Monitoring and Early Red Flags

Authorities in the United States and Ukraine are secretly tracking Mehdi Khanalizadeh and Ali Pakzad, two Iranian journalists suspected of maintaining ties with Iran's intelligence services. Concerns emerged after both men entered Ukraine in 2022 while wearing journalist press vests, despite the unusual nature of their movements and contacts.

Their presence immediately raised alarms in Kyiv and Washington, particularly because both individuals maintained close connections with political and diplomatic circles linked to Iran.

Mehdi Khanalizadeh and State Media Connections

Mehdi Khanalizadeh is a political analyst, director of the Press TV website, and adviser to the outlet's general director. He has also worked with Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, an analytical body that advises the government on foreign policy matters.

In the past, Khanalizadeh served as an adviser to the mayor of Tehran. Despite these extensive ties to Iranian state structures, he managed to enter Ukraine and move freely across the country without holding official journalist accreditation.

The FBI began actively monitoring Khanalizadeh after Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, a US Army sergeant who later joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reported meeting him in 2023 and informed US authorities of the Iranian journalist's presence in Ukraine.

Ali Pakzad and a Troubling Trail of Contacts

The second figure under scrutiny, Ali Pakzad, presents himself as an independent journalist. In 2022, he received official accreditation from Ukrainian authorities, covered developments in Afghanistan, and conducted interviews with senior diplomats, including former Russian ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan.

American intelligence agencies became concerned about Pakzad's activities in Ukraine after discovering his communications with Ryan Routh, who was convicted in September 2024 for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump.

In March 2025, the US government formally requested that Kyiv hand over all available correspondence between Ali Pakzad and Ryan Routh.

Routh had previously mentioned in his 2023 book a meeting with an Iranian journalist named Ali. The FBI later confirmed that several phone calls between Routh and Pakzad had been recorded, although the contents of those conversations remain classified.

Unanswered Questions and Strategic Sensitivities

The case highlights growing concerns in Washington and Kyiv over the use of journalistic cover for intelligence-related activities amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. While no formal charges have been announced, the quiet surveillance underscores the sensitivity of Iranian involvement in the Ukrainian theater and the broader implications for regional and global security.