Iran claims it has arrested network of armed Mossad spies that intended to spark violence during protests
Announcement comes as unrest sweeps through the country due to water shortages
Iran claims to have arrested a cell of Israeli spies from Mossad that it says were planning to instigate violent clashes during protests and possibly carry out assassinations as well.
“A network of agents of the Zionist regime (Mossad) has been dismantled and captured along with a large shipment of weapons and ammunition after arriving at the western border posts of the country,” according to the director-general of the Intelligence Ministry for Counter-Espionage Operation.
Iran’s FARS News reported on the arrest on Tuesday.
“The seized weapons include pistols, grenades, Winchester shotguns, Kalashnikov assault rifles and bullets, some of which, like Winchester and grenades, are used to turn the protests into riots,” the official said.
The Iranians claimed that the agents were going to use the weapons during ongoing riots throughout Iran and to carry out assassinations. The official did not clarify the exact number of those arrested or their identities.
For the past three weeks, Iranians have been protesting a water shortage in the Khuzestan province and a least five people have been killed in clashes with troops. Demonstrations have spread throughout the country and have become anti-government. Slogans of “Death to the Dictator!” and “Neither Gaza nor Lebanon: I will sacrifice my life for Iran” were used in previous demonstrations.
After widespread protests in 2017-2018 the regime killed 1,500 protesters and arrested more than 12,000. Many have been executed and many still in jail. Amnesty International’s recent report, “Trampled Humanity,” revealed details of the brutal tortures the regime’s forces used against detained protesters in prison.
Iran has arrested people it alleged were American and Israeli spies in the past and has blamed the Mossad and Israel for attacks on its nuclear facilities and assassinations within the country, including the country’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, in November 2020.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
