Iranian security forces killed six militants on Saturday in a clash in the country’s southeastern region, a day after armed rebels murdered five police officers, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Iran claimed that evidence indicates the group was linked to Israel and may have received training from the Mossad intelligence agency. There has been no official response from Israel to the allegations.
The report added that two other members of the group were arrested and that all but one of the militants were foreign nationals. Their nationalities were not disclosed.
Southeastern Iran has long experienced intermittent violence involving armed factions. Tehran maintains that some of these groups are backed by foreign powers and are engaged in cross-border smuggling and insurgent activities.
Iran regularly accuses Israel of acts of sabotage on its soil, and regularly captures and executes individuals accused of spying for Israel.
Earlier this month, Iran claimed that it has detained 20 individuals it accuses of working for the Mossad in recent months, vowing that those convicted will face severe punishment.
Last year, Iran said it executed a “terrorist” over a drone attack that targeted a defense ministry site in central Iran the year before and who was accused of operating as an officer of the Mossad.
A month prior, Iran claimed that it executed four people who allegedly spied for the Mossad. Iran claimed that the four had met Mossad chief David Barnea and trained in Africa, entering Iran through the Kurdish region in Iraq.
In December of 2023, Iran announced it had executed an “Israeli Mossad spy” in the country’s southeast.