The Facebook page of an Iranian spy who recruited Israeli women for espionage purposes. Photo: Shin Bet.

The Shin Bet and the Israel Police have busted a secret Iranian spy network that recruited Israeli women online for purposes of espionage, the Shin Bet said Wednesday.

The women, who are facing espionage charges, were recruited on Facebook by a man calling himself “Rambod Namdar,” who said he was an Iranian Jew. The conversations then moved to WhatsApp, where “Rambod” held video chats with the women and persuaded them to commit espionage in exchange for payment.

In one case, a 40-year-old resident of central Israel was asked to photograph the US embassy and the offices of the Ministry of the Interior in Holon, and provide information on security arrangements at a shopping mall. She was also asked to persuade her son to join the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate and collect information on senior Israeli security officials.

Another woman, 57, received $5,000 from “Rambod” and performed similar tasks for him, as well as providing information on Israelis of Persian descent — possibly for further recruitment — documenting details of Israeli elections, and making contact with an Israeli MK.

Other women were recruited as well, including one who met with a courier sent by “Rambod” to Turkey.

“This is a serious affair in which an Iranian espionage ring operating inside the State of Israel was exposed and taken down,” a senior Shin Bet official said. “We are seeing espionage attempts inside Israel by approaching Israeli women, supposedly innocently, and convincing them to maintain ongoing relationships. Despite the suspects’ own suspicions that the man was an Iranian intelligence operative they decided to maintain the relationships and perform various assignments for him.”

“These grievous actions put the suspects themselves in danger along with their family members and innocent Israeli citizens, whose details were transferred to Iranian intelligence, as well as information about Israeli and American sites in Israel that could become targets for terrorist attacks,” the official said.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett congratulated the Shin Bet for foiling the plot, calling it part of “never-ending efforts and attempts by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to recruit Israeli citizens.”

“These attempts go beyond security and intelligence,” he said. “They are expanding to efforts to influence the citizens of Israel and Israeli society, sow discord and polarization, undermine political stability in Israel, and damage the public’s trust in the government.”

“Have no doubt — the long arm of the security establishment will catch up with anyone who tries to harm Israel’s security,” he pledged.