TEHRAN – Iranian security forces have announced the arrest of dozens more key operatives involved in the recent deadly riots across Tehran and other major cities, following a sweeping intelligence-led operation that dismantled a transnational network of terrorist cells. 

The recent operations were carried out in coordination with local communities, following earlier efforts that led to the arrest of hundreds of armed individuals who infiltrated Iran’s peaceful protests over economic hardships caused by Western sanctions. These individuals were revealed to have been trained by foreign intelligence agencies, primarily Mossad and the CIA, as they attacked security forces and civilians and left widespread destruction across the country. Tehran witnessed some of the most violent riots.

The Ministry of Intelligence confirmed that several core organizers behind the unrest in Tehran have now been apprehended. These individuals, described by officials as “destruction leaders,” were responsible for orchestrating attacks on public and religious sites, including the arson of Imam Sadiq (AS) Mosque in Sadeghiyeh and the Abu Zarr Grand Mosque, as well as the assassination of two Basij members in Tehran’s District 13. Their actions, which included blocking major highways like Shahid Lashkari Freeway, were part of a broader plan to incite chaos and undermine national stability.

In a major breakthrough, authorities also seized a large cache of advanced electronic and technical equipment designed for espionage and sabotage. The shipment, which had entered Iran illegally from an unidentified neighboring country, included 100 long-range receivers, 50 BTS signal boosters, 743 5G modems, and 799 modern mobile phones. Intelligence officials stated that these devices were intended to establish communication networks in remote and underserved areas—such as deserts and mountainous regions—enabling foreign agents to conduct military, security, and industrial espionage, as well as coordinate further acts of sabotage.

The operation was not limited to Tehran. In a parallel effort, Iranian forces dismantled multiple terrorist cells in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, where several teams operating under the direction of the Israeli regime were identified and neutralized. These groups had infiltrated Iran through the eastern border and were deployed in seven separate units in the city of Zahedan. The arrests were made during a joint operation involving the Quds Base of the IRGC Ground Force, the Law Enforcement Command (FARAJA), and the Sistan and Baluchestan Intelligence Department.

During the raids, a range of American-made weapons and explosive devices were recovered, confirming that the suspects had received specialized training in sabotage and assassination abroad. The findings highlight the growing threat of foreign intelligence agencies using proxy networks to destabilize Iran from within.

Further intelligence revealed that many of the armed terrorists involved in the Tehran riots originated from Iran’s border region with Iraq. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel’s Mossad have long maintained a significant presence in Iraq’s eastern provinces bordering Iran, where they have been actively training, arming, and supporting separatist and extremist groups. 

In a likely related development, Iranian and Iraqi officials held a high-level phone call to coordinate border control efforts. Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, spoke with Iraq’s National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji, emphasizing the need for joint cooperation to prevent terrorist infiltration. Both sides agreed on the importance of tightening border surveillance and enhancing intelligence sharing to counter cross-border threats.