Communication SIM Cards: Iran Continues Spying on Syrians Through SAPA Company
Iranian Technologies in Syrian Telecommunications Sector Pose Serious National Security Threat, Requiring Urgent Measures to Replace Infrastructure Imported from Tehran
January 21, 2025, 11:15 pm

Communication SIM Cards: Iran Continues Spying on Syrians Through SAPA Company

شركة ام تي إن \ تعبيرية

Iran is exploiting advanced technologies in the Syrian telecommunications sector to maintain its influence in the country, where extensive investigations have revealed Iranian companies' involvement in providing Syriatel and MTN with sophisticated surveillance technologies.

Leaked documents showed that the Iranian company SAPA, linked to Iran's Ministry of Defense, has supplied the Syrian market with advanced 128K USIM Java communication chips that possess dangerous surveillance capabilities threatening Syrian citizens' privacy and security.

Investigations revealed that SAPA operates under the umbrella of "SAIRAN," a state-owned Iranian company managed by prominent military figures in the Iranian regime, confirming the intelligence nature of its activities in Syria.

Serious concerns have emerged about Iran's exploitation of these technologies to spy on Syrian citizens, especially with the expansion of telecommunication networks using these chips into northwestern Syria.

Overcoming this threat requires conducting a comprehensive investigation into Iranian companies' activities and replacing Iranian-imported technologies with those from friendly countries, while restructuring local telecommunications companies according to standards that ensure national sovereignty.

Available information indicates the necessity of enacting new legislation to protect the telecommunications sector from external interference and ensure Syrian citizens' privacy in light of increasing risks of Iranian espionage.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”