Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence announced the arrest of 21 individuals accused of links to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and four others for alleged ties to armed groups in Kerman province. According to an official statement reported by ISNA, the ministry claimed that the 21 detainees collected and transmitted sensitive, classified military and air defence information to Mossad.
The ministry also reported the arrest of four individuals described as armed elements, claiming to have confiscated several military and hunting firearms, along with ammunition.
Additionally, the statement noted that four military firearms were seized from five individuals arrested during the January protests, whose cases have been forwarded to the judiciary. The ministry referred to the January protests as a coup and described the detainees as key active elements.
The identities of the detainees, the exact dates and locations of their arrests, and the status of their legal representation were not disclosed. The Ministry of Intelligence also did not publish evidence supporting its claims regarding links to Mossad or armed groups.
This announcement follows the execution of Omid Behzad and Pourya Safvat on August 3, 2026, on charges of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel. Previously, the Ministry of Intelligence reported the arrest of 15 individuals in southeastern Iran on July 29, 2026, alleging connections to four armed operational cells.
