Iranian authorities have arrested dozens of individuals accused of spying for Israel, according to state media reports released over the weekend. The arrests occurred across multiple provinces, including West Azerbaijan, Mazandaran, and Khorasan Razavi.
Details of Arrests and Alleged Activities
The West Azerbaijan prosecutor’s office reported detaining 20 suspects in the city of Urmia. These individuals allegedly provided Israel with intelligence on military, police, and security sites, according to Fars News Agency, affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). On Saturday, Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence announced arrests of two separate 10-member groups in Mazandaran and Khorasan Razavi provinces. Authorities said these groups transferred coordinates of military installations, economic infrastructure, public places, academic institutions, and research centers to Israel.
Additional Arrests and Regional Context
In southern Khuzestan province, intelligence officials also reported apprehending a three-person group accused of armed attacks against security forces and government facilities. Meanwhile, Bahraini authorities announced the arrest of five suspects allegedly passing sensitive information to the IRGC and recruiting operatives for potential attacks within Bahrain. The suspects reportedly transmitted coordinates and images of locations such as hotels to the IRGC, with one suspect believed to have received training in IRGC camps.
Israel’s Intelligence Practices
A recent report from The Wall Street Journal cited a senior Israeli security official saying Israel has relied on intelligence tips from Iranian citizens to identify strike targets inside Iran. Information is reportedly funneled through Israeli Persian-language social media accounts and verified by Israeli authorities before military actions are carried out.
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