As tensions escalate in the Middle East following Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iranian territory, Iran has arrested five individuals in the central city of Yazd on charges of collaborating with Israel. The arrests were announced by Iranian authorities on Friday, citing national security concerns amid a wave of heightened alert across the country.
According to reports by Iranian state media and confirmed by international outlets such as The Guardian, the individuals were detained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and local security forces. The suspects allegedly took photographs of sensitive sites and were in direct communication with Israeli intelligence operatives.
The Iranian judiciary has yet to publicly disclose the identities of the detainees or the full scope of their alleged activities, but officials confirmed that preliminary investigations indicated espionage-related operations. Authorities claimed the group had been tasked with mapping strategic locations, possibly as part of a broader Israeli intelligence effort.
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This development comes just days after a large-scale Israeli air campaign, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” struck Iranian military and nuclear facilities in Tehran and surrounding areas. The IRGC has vowed retaliation and labeled both Israel and the United States as aggressors in what it calls a coordinated assault on Iranian sovereignty.
Security has since been heightened across major Iranian cities, and reports suggest that intelligence agencies are working around the clock to uncover any additional infiltration attempts or spy networks linked to foreign powers.
Iranian officials emphasized that the arrests serve as a warning to those engaging in activities that threaten the nation’s security and stability. “Any form of collaboration with the Zionist regime will be met with the utmost force and legal action,” an IRGC spokesperson stated.
International observers are closely watching the situation, as these arrests may further complicate already fragile diplomatic efforts between Iran, the U.S., and regional powers. Analysts believe the crackdown may be both a response to real threats and a demonstration of Iran’s domestic intelligence capabilities.
