TEHRAN — The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced it has successfully identified and arrested several “terrorist ringleaders” and “armed agents” responsible for the recent foreign-linked unrest in southwestern Khuzestan Province.

In a statement released Sunday, the public relations office of the IRGC’s Vali-e-Asr unit in Khuzestan detailed the defensive operation and elaborated on its coordinated efforts with forces from the Intelligence Ministry for “the precise monitoring and timely intelligence action.”

During the operation, security forces confiscated various types of lethal weapons intended for use against civilians and government facilities.

The detainees are charged with a wide range of crimes, including the “shedding of innocent blood” and the “destruction of holy places.”

The IRGC noted that these operatives were tasked by foreign agencies to carry out targeted assassinations of elite figures, stir ethnic division, and sabotage vital infrastructure such as water, electricity, gas, and oil pipelines.

The operation follows a period of tension that began in late December 2025, when shopkeepers in several cities held peaceful protests over economic hardships partly caused by unilateral U.S. sanctions.

However, according to Iranian officials, the demonstrations were diverted toward violence by U.S. and Israeli involvement, most notably during the period of January 8–10, causing the deaths of a few thousand individuals.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, asserted on Saturday that many agents behind the “sedition” were trained and recruited by American and Israeli spy agencies.

Across the country, more than 3,000 individuals have been detained in connection with the unrest.