A hacker group that supports Israel has broken into the Iranian cryptocurrency exchange Nobitex and stolen about $48.65 million in crypto through the Tron blockchain, according to blockchain analyst ZachXBT.
The group, called Gonjeshke Darande, which means “Predatory Sparrow” in Persian, said it was behind the attack. In a message shared on social media, they accused Nobitex of helping the Iranian government fund terrorism and avoid international sanctions.
“The regime’s dependence on Nobitex is evident from the fact that working at Nobitex is considered valid military service, as it is considered vital to the regime’s efforts. These cyberattacks are the result of Nobitex being a key regime tool for financing terrorism and violating sanctions. Associating with regime terror financing and sanction violation infrastructure puts your assets at risk.”
Gonjeshke Darande
They also warned that they would leak Nobitex’s source code and internal data within 24 hours. This threat puts any remaining assets on the platform in danger.
How Nobitex responded to the hacking crisis
Nobitex responded by saying it had quickly shut down access to its systems. The company assured users that customer funds kept in cold storage were safe and promised to repay any losses using its insurance and internal funds.
Iran is currently engaged in a tense conflict with Israel, with both parties regularly accusing each other of launching cyberattacks. These digital offensives have become a key part of their ongoing rivalry, targeting critical infrastructure, government systems, and financial networks.