‘Close your eyes and…’: Robotic voices answer calls to Iran as families abroad struggle to reach loved ones

Ellie, 44, is one of several Iranians living abroad who have heard strange, robotic voices when trying to call family in Iran since Israeli airstrikes began over a week ago, the Associated Press (AP) reported. The callers spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity or using only first names, as they fear putting their families in danger.

Experts who listened to recordings shared with AP suggested the messages might be pre-recorded or made by simple artificial intelligence. Calls from abroad could be getting diverted. Four experts believed Iran’s government was behind the messages, while one thought Israel was responsible.

The strange messages have unsettled Iranians trying to reach their families. Israel’s attacks have targeted military and nuclear sites, while Iran has fired missiles and drones in return. The Iranian government has also imposed a large internet blackout, saying it is needed for security.

“I don’t know why they’re doing this,” Ellie told AP. Her mother, who lives outside Tehran and has diabetes, is low on insulin. Ellie wants her mother to leave the city but cannot reach her directly.

A woman in New York described it as “psychological warfare.” She told AP: “Calling your mum and hearing an AI voice is one of the most scary things I’ve ever experienced.”

Some messages are even stranger. A woman in the UK shared with AP a recording where a voice said, “Thank you for taking the time to listen. Life is full of unexpected surprises. These can bring joy or challenge us.”

Others said their calls just rang and rang with no answer.

Colin Crowell, a former Twitter executive, said it looked like Iranian phone companies were diverting calls to default systems. Amir Rashidi, an Iranian cybersecurity expert in the US, said the messages match government tactics to control communications.

“It would be hard for anybody else to hack,” added Mehdi Yahyanejad, an internet freedom activist. He said Israel would have little reason to do this.

Shops remain shuttered Tehran’s historic Grand Bazaar. (AP)

Some Iranians abroad have found ways to contact relatives. Ellie managed by using someone near the Iran-Turkey border who called her mother on an Iranian phone and held it next to a Turkish phone so Ellie could listen in.

“The last time we spoke to her, we told her about the AI voice,” Ellie said. “She was shocked. She said her phone hasn’t rung at all.”

Others, like M. in the UK, feel helpless. When she calls her mother-in-law in Tehran, she hears a message saying, “Close your eyes and picture yourself in a place that brings you peace and happiness.”

“The only feeling it gives me is helplessness,” she told AP.

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