Iran’s intelligence ministry announced the arrest of 97 individuals accused of acting as “soldiers of Israel,” according to state media reports on March 19. The arrests are part of a broader crackdown in which hundreds of people have been detained for alleged connections to Israel and the United States since the outbreak of conflict involving the two countries.
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The state media also cited the police commander of Alborz province reporting the detention of 41 people accused of sending videos to opposition media channels abroad. Earlier in March, authorities arrested a foreign national along with 30 others described as spies and agents working for Israel and the U.S., according to Reuters.
These developments followed the targeted assassination of Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, in a strike attributed to Israeli forces. Khatib’s death was officially confirmed on March 18 by Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz, occurring amid Israel’s ongoing operations against Iranian regime targets, known as Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion.
Under Khatib’s leadership, Iran’s intelligence ministry expanded its surveillance operations within the country, employing informants in universities, media outlets, minority communities, and activist groups. The ministry played a key role in identifying protest organizers, monitoring communications, and conducting interrogations.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) also reported nearly 200 arrests on charges related to activities allegedly supporting the U.S.-Israeli conflict against Iran, involving social media activity, espionage, and transmitting material to foreign media.
This latest wave of detentions underscores heightened internal security measures as the regional conflict escalates with sustained military and intelligence confrontations between Iran and Israel.
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