Thousands (21,000) of individuals were apprehended by Iranian authorities during an anti-spying operation targeting potential spies aiding Israel in their ongoing conflict, as reported by the Iranian police.
Iran has taken a firm stance against alleged Israeli espionage following the surprise 12-day air strikes on Iranian nuclear scientists, military sites, and infrastructure in June 2021. The conflict, which resulted in the deaths of over 28 people in Israel, has sparked a harsh response from Iranian authorities.
The crackdown has involved mass arrests, executions, public warnings, and heightened security measures. At least 20 alleged spies have been arrested, with some charges later dropped and suspects released, but many have faced capital punishment. Notably, a nuclear scientist, Rouzbeh Vadi, was executed for passing information to Israel about a colleague killed in the June strikes. Several others were executed in an intensified campaign against alleged Israeli collaborators following the conflict.
The Iranian judiciary has declared it would show no leniency towards those accused of spying for Israel, indicating harsh punishments aimed at deterring espionage activities. International groups have raised alarms about the treatment of detainees, reports of speedy trials, death sentences, and possible use of prisoners as leverage, reflecting broader concerns about due process and the use of espionage accusations amid tense Iran-Israel relations.
Iranian sources acknowledge deep infiltration by Mossad agents, informants, and operatives, including efforts to compromise personal data of officials via cyber intrusions. This intelligence breach was seen as facilitating the June assaults and exposed vulnerabilities in Iran’s security apparatus.
The crackdown also includes public condemnation to counter what Iran perceives as Israeli espionage. Iran regularly announces executions of people convicted of working for foreign intelligence services. In June, Tehran executed three Kurdish men convicted of aiding Mossad in the 2020 assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
The conflict ended with a ceasefire announced on June 24 by US President Donald Trump. However, Iran retaliated by launching missile and drone attacks at Israel in response to the strikes. Over 260 people were detained on suspicion of spying, and 172 people were arrested for unauthorized use of video cameras and phones during the conflict.
Iran's police arrested 21,000 people during Israel's 12-day war in June. The man, Roozbeh Vadi, passed on details of a nuclear scientist killed by Israel during the conflict. He was found to have transferred sensitive information to a contact at meetings in Vienna and was paid with cryptocurrency, according to prosecutors.
The conflict has strained relations between Iran and Israel, with both countries vowing to continue their respective actions. The crackdown aims to disrupt Israeli spy networks and serve as a warning to others suspected of collaboration.
- The Iranian judiciary has declared it will show no leniency towards those accused of spying for Israel, indicating harsh punishments aimed at deterring espionage activities, which is a part of the general news and politics.
- Iran's police arrested 21,000 people during Israel's 12-day war in June, which is a significant number and a part of crime-and-justice news.
- Notably, a nuclear scientist, Rouzbeh Vadi, was executed for passing information to Israel about a colleague killed in the June strikes, and this incident is a part of war-and-conflicts news.
- Several video cameras and phones were unauthorizedly used during the conflict, and 172 people were arrested for this, making it a part of the video news category.
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