Iranian authorities have announced the arrest of 22 individuals suspected of espionage for Israel since June 12, following a recent escalation of Israeli attacks on Iranian soil. The arrests were confirmed by the head of intelligence police in Qom province, a strategic region close to key nuclear facilities.
According to reports by the semi-official Fars news agency, these suspects are accused of collaborating with the “Zionist regime” to undermine Iran’s security. Charges against them include spying, spreading disinformation to damage public opinion, and supporting a hostile foreign government. However, Iranian officials have not released detailed information regarding the identities of the detainees or the specific nature of their alleged activities.
This crackdown comes amid a series of Israeli airstrikes and covert operations targeting Iranian nuclear scientists, military commanders, and missile production sites, which have significantly heightened tensions between the two countries. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has linked these arrests directly to sabotage attempts allegedly orchestrated by Israeli intelligence agencies. Reports indicate that Israeli operatives have been using small drones loaded with explosives to conduct covert attacks inside Iran.
Israeli government sources have neither confirmed nor denied the espionage allegations but maintain that their actions aim to prevent Iran’s nuclear and missile programs from advancing. Iranian authorities have vowed to intensify their counter-intelligence operations to thwart further infiltration attempts as hostilities continue to escalate in the region.