Iran has arrested 500 people accused of sharing information with its enemies, the Islamic Republic’s police chief said Sunday, according to Reuters.
Police chief Ahmadreza Radan said that about half of the cases involved serious incidents.
According to Radan, the cases included “people who provided information for hitting targets and individuals who took footage of strike locations and sent them." He did not provide details on when the arrests took place.
Earlier Sunday, Iranian media reported dozens of arrests in several regions of the country.
In northwestern Iran, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that 20 people were arrested following accusations by the provincial prosecutor’s office that they had sent location details on Iranian military and security assets to Israel.
In northeastern Iran, which has largely been untouched by the joint US and Israeli airstrikes, Tasnim reported that 10 people were arrested. Some of the suspects were accused of gathering information on sensitive locations and economic infrastructure.
A provincial branch of the Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence organization stated, according to Tasnim, “As the Zionist enemy (Israel) and the US are attempting to invade Iran, they simultaneously activate mercenaries and spies to carry out riots as the next step."
The Student News Network reported that three additional people were detained in the western province of Lorestan for “seeking to disturb public opinion ... and burn mourning symbols."
Iran regularly captures and sometimes executes individuals accused of spying for Israel.
In January, weeks before the US and Israel launched the current war against Iran, widespread anti-government protests erupted across the country. Iranian authorities blamed Israel and the US for inciting what they described as “violent riots" aimed at overthrowing the clerical establishment. Three reformist figures were arrested and accused of “supporting the Zionist regime and America."
In October, Iranian authorities announced the execution of an unnamed man convicted of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.
Iranian officials claimed the suspect began communicating with Israeli intelligence in October 2023 and was arrested between January and February 2024. Investigators allege he confessed to cooperating with Mossad and transmitting classified information online.
In August, Iran executed Rouzbeh Vadi, who allegedly provided classified information to the Mossad. Iranian officials claimed Vadi supplied details regarding an Iranian nuclear scientist killed during Israeli airstrikes on Iran in June.
Two months earlier, during the 12-day war with Israel, Iran arrested a Swedish national and accused him of spying for the “Zionist regime".