Some Iranians living abroad are trying to call their families back home, only to have a robotic voice answer. Sometimes it mimics a conversation.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — When Ellie, a British-Iranian living in the United Kingdom, tried to call her mother in Tehran, a robotic female voice answered instead.

“Alo? Alo?” the voice said, then asked in English: “Who is calling?” A few seconds passed.

“I can’t heard you,” the voice continued, its English imperfect. “Who you want to speak with? I’m Alyssia. Do you remember me? I think I don’t know who are you.”

Ellie, 44, is one of nine Iranians living abroad — including in the U.K and U.S. — who said they have gotten strange, robotic voices when they attempted to call their loved ones in Iran since Israel launched airstrikes on the country a week ago.

They told their stories to The Associated Press on the condition they remain anonymous or that only their first names or initials be used out of fear of endangering their families.

Five experts with whom the AP shared recordings said it could be low-tech artificial intelligence, a chatbot or a pre-recorded message to which calls from abroad were diverted.

It remains unclear who is behind the operation, though four of the experts believed it was likely to be the Iranian government while the fifth saw Israel as more likely.

Only the second most terrifying story I’ve read today

  • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.caEnglish
    16·
    4 hours ago

    So Iran is complicit in massacring villages and taking hostages on October 7. Do you think masscring villages is not an act of war?

    Are you, by any chance, trying to somehow equate Israeli genocidal violence to Palestinian militant defence against a genocidal occupying force?

    No I don’t equate massacring entire villages(what Hamas did) with taking military action to free hostages taken by terrorists (what Israel is doing).

    • AES_Enjoyer@reddthat.comEnglish
      3·
      4 hours ago

      No, it’s not an act of war, it’s violent resistance against an occupying force. As much as you probably believe Ukrainians have a right to defend themselves from Russian invasion, more so do Palestinians.

      massacring entire villages(what Hamas did)

      Bullshit genocidal propaganda. No wonder you get banned, you Nazi scum

      • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.caEnglish
        14·
        3 hours ago

        Sorry but I can’t trust your judgement on matters concerning genocide when you believe massacring villages is a legitimate act.

          • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.caEnglish
            14·
            2 hours ago

            It’s always a bad thing. It’s a bad thing that civilians die just because they happen to live in a building that a terrorist is firing at soldiers from. It’s also bad when soldiers die. In fact, it’s bad when anyone dies.

            War is just an all around bad thing it seems. Holding hostages is also a bad thing. Maybe Hamas should release the hostages so the war can end?

            • Chaotic Entropy@feddit.ukEnglish
              1·
              10 minutes ago

              Maybe Hamas should release the hostages so the war can end?

              Have you ever seen any Israeli state media? You genuinely, delusionally think that “rEleaSIng tHe hOSTagEs” would stop the full throated ethnic cleansing currently occurring? I guess you think that the West Bank is also holding hostages while they bulldoze it?

              If whatever remaining hostages that the IDF hasn’t killed themselves as collateral damage were released then Israel would stop gunning down starving refugees in food aid lines. Of course they would.