CIA Expands Recruitment Drive to China, Iran, and North Korea

The U.S. CIA has launched a drive to recruit informants in China, Iran, and North Korea, expanding on a successful effort in Russia. Instructions in Mandarin, Farsi, and Korean are being posted on various social media platforms and the Dark Web. The initiative aims to gather intelligence amid growing geopolitical tensions.

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has initiated a new campaign aimed at recruiting informants in China, Iran, and North Korea. This expands upon a prior successful effort in Russia, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

To facilitate contact, the CIA is leveraging a range of social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, LinkedIn, and even the Dark Web. The agency has provided detailed instructions in Mandarin, Farsi, and Korean, advising potential informants on how to communicate securely using encrypted Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and the TOR network.

The recruitment push underscores the CIA's focus on obtaining intelligence from 'hard targets'—countries with governments that are notoriously challenging to penetrate. The initiative comes amid escalating global tensions and collaborations between these nations. Additional reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Kevin Liffey.

(With inputs from agencies.)