Eurasia Press & News
The IRGC’s intelligence agency is currently identifying other members of this network that are operating both inside and outside the country
Seven individuals active during the recent riots in Iran’s Kerman Province with ties to the United Kingdom were detained by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on 25 December, Tasnim news agency reported.
According to information released on 26 December by the IRGC’s Tharallah Corps in the Kerman Province of central Iran, seven individuals of a network with ties to UK intelligence services were detained. Those arrested had allegedly been leading riots and were in charge of recent disturbances in the area.
The network, which went by the name “Zagros,” collected anti-revolutionary agents from inside and outside the nation to carry out plots against the Islamic Republic in an attempt to destablize the government, particularly during the most recent unrest, IRNA reported.
According to the information released by the IRGC’s Tharallah Corps, among those detained were dual nationals who had been trying to flee the country.
The British foreign ministry stated that it was requesting more information from Iranian officials in response to claims that dual citizens of Iran and the United Kingdom had been detained there.
On 1 December, the head of the IRGC’S Basij forces was quoted as saying that the ‘enemies’ of the Islamic Republic have been using “hybrid warfare” against the country throughout the recent unrest, and that 47 foreign intelligence agencies are involved.
Last month, a number of French intelligence agents were also detained in Iran in relation to the unrest gripping the country, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi told state TV on 16 November.
“People of other nationalities were arrested in the riots, some of whom played a big role. There were elements from the French intelligence agency and they will be dealt with according to the law,” Vahidi said.
The interior minister did not specify the number of agents detained nor where they were discovered.
Several Mossad agents have also been arrested in Iran over recent months, who were allegedly planning to carry out sabotage operations and assassinations targeting security personnel.
On 22 December, Iran’s security forces identified and arrested members of four Mossad-affiliated operational teams, according to a statement disclosed by Tehran’s Intelligence Ministry.
The statement elaborated on how the Israeli intelligence agency planned to exploit Iran’s current instability in recent weeks, which began due to nationwide riots instigated by the alleged murder of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iran’s Gasht-e-Ershad, also known as the morality police.
The Intelligence Ministry further added that it obtained “clues” about a Mossad ringleader based in Europe, disclosing that information regarding the investigation will be revealed upon completion.
A few days prior, in a similar incident, the Intelligence Ministry disclosed that it arrested several members of the Mossad group who were allegedly planning to sabotage Tehran’s defense industry.
