New Delhi: Iran’s judiciary has announced that 3,292 people have been arrested in recent months on allegations of collaborating with Israel and engaging
in activities deemed harmful to the state, marking one of the country’s largest internal security crackdowns in recent years.
According to the country’s judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir, 684 of those detained are accused of carrying out “operational actions” on behalf of Israel, while another 1,258 face charges of spreading political propaganda against the Islamic Republic. Authorities have already issued 1,061 indictments and confiscated the assets of hundreds of suspects.
Asset seizures and espionage allegations
Iranian authorities have paired the arrests with an aggressive campaign of property seizures. Last week, the judiciary said it had confiscated the properties of 100 alleged “traitors” in Isfahan province alone, although it provided few details about the cases. Officials say the measures are aimed at dismantling networks accused of working with foreign intelligence services and undermining national security.
The latest figures add to a broader pattern of arrests linked to espionage allegations in Iran, which heightened after the US-Iran ceasefire which brought military hostilities to a calmer state than before. This allowed the Iranian regime to work on internal security measures.
Over recent months, Iranian security agencies have repeatedly announced the detention of individuals accused of ties to Israel, with authorities claiming to have uncovered sabotage and intelligence-gathering networks across several provinces.
Human rights groups raise concerns
The crackdown follows the mass arrests that occurred after anti-government protests earlier this year. Iranian authorities reportedly detained more than 50,000 people following the unrest and have since pursued individuals they accuse of aiding foreign adversaries.
Human rights organisations have strongly criticised the government’s actions. Amnesty International has accused Tehran of using what it calls “wartime conditions” to justify arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, politically motivated executions and asset confiscations. According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Group, at least 40 prisoners, including 19 protesters, had been executed on politically motivated charges by early June.
