Russian Embassy in Tehran Denies Fraudulent Recruitment Claims on Social Media

The Russian Embassy in Tehran has firmly denied the authenticity of a widely circulated social media post in Iran, which claimed to invite Iranian citizens to join the Russian armed forces to fight in Ukraine for financial rewards.

The official denial was issued in a statement on the embassy's Telegram channel, stating that unknown individuals "seeking to profit" had recently disseminated a fraudulent message online. According to the statement, the alleged message targeted Iranian men and youth aged 18 to 45, inviting them to sign contracts to serve in what is referred to as "the special military operation zone"—a reference to Ukraine—for substantial sums of money.

The embassy warned in its statement about the nature of these messages, asserting that "this message and any similar communications are entirely false and criminal in nature," while emphasizing that "neither the embassy nor any official Russian authority is connected to this announcement."

The statement urged Iranian citizens to "immediately inform security authorities and the police in Iran if they receive a message or announcement allegedly from the embassy," cautioning them not to fall victim to scams. The embassy also clarified that any official communication from its side is conducted exclusively through its reliable and known channels, advising the public not to engage with announcements or documents not published on its official platforms.

According to details in the fraudulent announcement titled "Recruitment for the Russian Army," it promised candidates an initial bonus of $20,000, along with a monthly salary of $2,000, covering travel, visa, accommodation, and food expenses. The missions mentioned in the announcement included "drone operation and management."

Furthermore, the dissemination of this message on social media platforms in Persian has sparked negative reactions and discontent among users, many of whom questioned its credibility from the outset.

This official denial was highlighted by the U.S. radio station "Radio Free Europe," which noted that "the recruitment of foreign mercenaries for the war in Ukraine typically occurs through unofficial channels or companies, and the Russian government does not necessarily recruit foreign mercenaries directly."