Elizabeth Tsurkov, a researcher with dual Israeli and Russian citizenship and a PhD student at Princeton University in the United States, was abducted in Baghdad on March 26, 2023, while conducting academic research, as promoted by certain media outlets with known affiliations and agents of Unit 8200. She entered Iraq using her Russian passport under the pretext of studying Middle Eastern issues, including the Sadrist Movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr.
Allegations:
Some Iraqi entities claimed that Tsurkov was working as a spy for the occupation entity or the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). In November 2023, Iraq’s Al-Rabiaa TV channel broadcast a video allegedly showing Tsurkov confessing to involvement in the 2019 Tishreen protests in Iraq. Her X account (@Elizrael) has been inactive since March 21, 2023, the date of her abduction. Analysis of her previous posts shows she wrote about the Tishreen protests, noting they caused a “significant shift in public perception and behavior” without leading to political change. These writings indicate her presence at the protests, though they were analytical in nature, supporting the notion of her purpose in Iraq. Her sister, Emma Tsurkov, stated that her visit was purely academic, related to her studies at Princeton University.
It is worth noting that some Western academic and research institutions, such as the Brookings Institution and universities like MIT, indirectly contribute to covering up the espionage activities of the Zionist occupation entity by producing biased studies that overlook its intelligence activities, forming partnerships with Israeli cyber companies like NSO Group linked to Unit 8200, and integrating experts from these units as researchers. This complicity promotes a misleading narrative portraying the entity as a “democratic cyber innovation hub,” ignoring its illegal operations, such as targeting activists with programs like Pegasus, and influences Western security policies in favor of the entity.
Connection to the Tsurkov Case:
Allegations of Tsurkov’s involvement in espionage for the occupation entity may stem from the broader context of exploiting academic cover. As a Princeton researcher, her academic work in Iraq could be seen as part of this pattern, though there is no documented evidence confirming espionage accusations or her direct connection to the Tishreen protests or Hezbollah.
Statements from the Occupation Entity:
In July 2023, the office of the occupation entity’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued a statement confirming that Tsurkov was “still alive” and holding the Iraqi government responsible for her safety. No recent direct statements from Netanyahu himself have been issued (as of May 2025), but sources from the occupation entity indicated diplomatic efforts in collaboration with allies such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, and Canada to pressure Iraq for her release.
Negotiations:
Reports of negotiations for Tsurkov’s release have surfaced but remain unconfirmed by official sources. In March 2025, the Saudi-funded Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported a meeting between U.S. and Iraqi officials discussing a potential deal involving a $200 million ransom and the release of activists, including a naval commander linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The United States rejected this proposal, halting negotiations at that stage. In May 2025, the Saudi-funded Al-Hadath network, citing Iraqi sources, reported serious efforts to secure Tsurkov’s release, with a possible agreement within 10 days, potentially involving her transfer to a neutral party like Azerbaijan to avoid political embarrassment for Iraq. The negotiations involve international parties, including Russia and the occupation entity, but details remain unclear due to their confidential nature. These reports lack evidence, remain unreliable, and have known agendas.
Official Responses:
Iraqi Government: In July 2023, government spokesperson Basim Al-Awadi announced an investigation into Tsurkov’s abduction but refrained from commenting until its conclusion.
Kataib Hezbollah: The group issued a statement without mentioning Tsurkov by name, pledging to “investigate the fate of Zionist captives in Iraq,” without directly confirming or denying involvement. Overall, no evidence confirms their responsibility, as they have not claimed the abduction.
United States: The U.S. has not confirmed significant progress in alleged negotiations and rejected unverified proposals involving the release of an Iranian citizen allegedly linked to the assassination of an American in Baghdad in 2022.
Russia: Despite Tsurkov’s Russian citizenship, no significant official statements have been issued.
Why Russia Has Not Issued Prominent Official Statements on the Tsurkov Case:
Although Elizabeth Tsurkov holds Russian citizenship, Russia has not issued significant official statements regarding her abduction in Iraq in March 2023 for several possible reasons:
Lack of Citizenship Confirmation: The Russian ambassador to Iraq, Elbrus Kutrashev, stated in July 2023 that the embassy was unaware of Tsurkov’s Russian citizenship and had not received requests from her family, indicating a lack of formal communication from her family or relevant parties with Russia.
Complex Diplomatic Relations: Russia maintains diplomatic ties with Iraq and may avoid public intervention to prevent complicating these relations.
Dual Citizenship: Tsurkov’s Israeli citizenship may make Russia hesitant to intervene, given the political sensitivities associated with the occupation entity, especially in light of Iraq’s rejection of normalization with it.
Lack of Public Pressure: Unlike the U.S. and the occupation entity, Tsurkov’s family or other parties have not exerted significant public pressure on Russia, reducing the need for official statements.
Geopolitical Context: Russia may view the case as part of a complex regional conflict involving Iraq, the U.S., and the occupation entity, preferring to handle it through quiet diplomacy or intermediaries rather than public statements that could affect its regional interests.
Connection to Tsurkov and Academic Institutions:
Tsurkov’s academic work at Princeton may be seen as an example of using academic cover for potential intelligence activities, as noted above. Allegations of her espionage align with the pattern of Western research institutions supporting the occupation entity’s agendas, which may explain Russia’s silence if it perceives the case as linked to intelligence activities rather than a mere citizen’s abduction. The “confessions” video (November 2023) and her alleged ties to the Tishreen protests or participation in the war against Hezbollah are not supported by strong evidence.
Claims About Tsurkov’s Transfer to Iran and Their Promoters:
Claims about Elizabeth Tsurkov’s transfer to Iran after her abduction in Baghdad in March 2023 remain unproven by official evidence and appear to be primarily promoted by Hebrew media and unverified leaks. These claims may be part of a broader strategy by the occupation entity to link the case to Iran, serving political goals, including influencing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States:
Sources of the Claims:
Hebrew media reports, such as those from Israel’s Channel 11 (July 2023), claimed Tsurkov was transferred to Iran via Kataib Hezbollah, citing an anonymous Iraqi source, without providing concrete evidence.
Posts on the X platform, often published by Unit 8200 agents, implicitly linked the case to Iran through discussions of negotiations involving Iranian detainees, but these remain unsupported speculations.
Iraqi reports, such as those from Al-Rabiaa TV, mentioned negotiations involving the release of Iranians, suggesting potential Iranian involvement, but did not confirm Tsurkov’s transfer to Iran.
Relation to Nuclear Negotiations:
Nuclear Negotiations Context: In May 2025, reports indicated that the fifth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. in Rome made no significant progress, with disagreements over uranium enrichment and Washington’s unlawful conditions. Media leaks, such as those reported by CNN about Israeli threats to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, were described as a U.S.-backed pressure tactic supported by the occupation entity to toughen the stance against Iran.
Role of the Occupation Entity: The entity has a history of attempting to disrupt nuclear negotiations by escalating tensions, as seen in leaks about potential strikes against Iran. Linking Tsurkov’s case to Iran may be an attempt to portray Iran as a supporter of “terrorism” or a regional obstacle, justifying greater diplomatic or military pressure. This aligns with the narrative promoted by some Western academic institutions, as mentioned earlier, portraying the occupation entity as a democratic ally against “Iranian threats.”
Lack of Evidence: No official evidence confirms Tsurkov’s transfer to Iran. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed in January 2025 that she is alive and that Iraq is working on her release, without mentioning Iran. The U.S. denied progress in deals involving Iranian detainees, undermining the credibility of these claims.
Who Promotes These Claims?
Occupation Entity Media: Outlets like Channel 11 and Times of Israel linked the incident to Iran to reinforce the narrative of Kataib Hezbollah’s involvement, serving an agenda of escalation against Iran.
Unofficial Iraqi Sources: Some Iraqi channels, like Al-Rabiaa, referenced negotiations involving Iran but provided no direct evidence of a transfer.
X Platform: Accounts such as @Hber_iq
Judicial channels known for anti-Iran bias, through hosting like-minded analysts, promote narratives linking the case to Iran, but these rely on speculation and lack credible evidence.
Assessment:
Linking Tsurkov’s case to Iran appears to be part of a media strategy possibly supported by the occupation entity to increase pressure on Iran during nuclear negotiations. This narrative aligns with the entity’s historical efforts to portray Iran as a regional threat, as seen in leaks about potential strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, the absence of evidence for Tsurkov’s transfer to Iran and Iraq’s assurances that she remains detained within the country suggest these claims may be exaggerated or fabricated for political purposes.
Connection to Academic Institutions:
The earlier paragraph on Western academic institutions illustrates how academic narratives are used to support the occupation entity. Tsurkov’s espionage allegations, though unproven, may be exploited to bolster this narrative, especially if linked to Iran to escalate tensions during nuclear negotiations.
Recent Developments:
In January 2025, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed to Axios that Tsurkov is still alive and that Iraq is working to secure her release. Media reports, such as those from Al-Ain Al-Ikhbariya and Al-Hadath, suggested negotiations that may involve releasing Tsurkov in exchange for Hezbollah prisoners or a ransom, but these reports rely on unofficial sources and have not been officially confirmed, requiring extreme caution.
Sources:
Official: Statements from Netanyahu’s office (July 2023), the Iraqi government (July 2023), and the Iraqi Foreign Minister’s comment (January 2025). These confirm the abduction and Iraq’s responsibility for her safety, without details on negotiations.
Media: Reports from Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, Al-Hadath, and Al-Ain Al-Ikhbariya mention negotiations but rely on anonymous sources.
X Platform: Posts such as those from
@AlMayadeenNews
and
https://x.com/elizrael
contain strong evidence, such as Tsurkov’s espionage allegations, and should be treated as such.
Conclusion:
Elizabeth Tsurkov was abducted in Baghdad in March 2023. The occupation entity confirmed in July 2023 that she is alive and held Iraq responsible for her safety. Potential negotiations are ongoing but unconfirmed officially. Claims of her transfer to Iran remain unproven, promoted mainly by Hebrew media and sources linked to Unit 8200 to influence Iran-U.S. nuclear negotiations. It is recommended to follow statements from the Iraqi, U.S., and Iranian governments for reliable information.
Najah Mohammed Ali, Investigative Journalist and Researcher on Iranian and Regional Affairs
NOURNEWS