Iran’s Intelligence Ministry arrested 97 people accused of being “soldiers of Israel” on Thursday, according to state media reports.
The arrests are part of the country’s latest security crackdown, which has seen hundreds of people arrested over alleged ties to Israel and the United States since the start of the war. Reuters said.
Earlier Thursday, state media also quoted the police commander of Alborz province as saying that 41 people had been arrested for sending videos to opposition media outlets abroad.
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A billboard depicting Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979 is displayed above a highway in Tehran on March 10, 2026. Iran marked the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as supreme leader on March 9, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
On March 10, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry also reported that it had arrested a foreigner, along with 30 other people it described as spies, internal mercenaries and operational agents of Israel and the US. Reuters.
The latest wave of arrests followed the assassination of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib in a targeted Israeli attack in Tehran.
Khatib’s death was confirmed by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on March 18, ten days after the start of Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, both aimed at the Iranian regime.
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Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib, center, before a speech to parliamentarians in Tehran on August 17, 2024. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)
Under Khatib, the intelligence ministry’s role was significantly expanded, and it now operates extensive informant networks across universities, media organizations, minority communities and activist circles across the country.
Its officers identify protest organizers, monitor communications and conduct interrogations The Jerusalem Post.
On March 12, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) also said that Iranian authorities had arrested nearly 200 people on charges related to the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic.
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The charges include alleged activities on social media, sending content to foreign media, espionage and disturbing public order, HRANA said before adding that the count was based on official reports.
