From Qom to Gilan, over 500 arrested in Iran as war with Israel continues

Iranian authorities have intensified a wave of arrests targeting individuals allegedly working for Israeli intelligence, arresting more than 500 people across the country since the outbreak of the Iran-Israel war on June 13.

What happened: In a report released Sunday, Hengaw, a Norway-based Kurdish human rights organization, documented the arrests of over 530 people across Iran since airstrikes between Iran and Israel began 11 days ago. The data was compiled from official police statements published by Iranian state-affiliated media, as well as Hengaw’s own investigation.

The group provided a detailed breakdown by province: 67 people were arrested in the southwestern province of Khuzestan; 64 in Tehran province; 53 in Fars; 51 in West Azerbaijan; 41 in Lorestan; 30 in Hamadan; 24 in Razavi Khorasan; 22 in Qom; 21 in Semnan; and 20 in Kerman. Dozens more were reportedly detained in other provinces.

Hengaw said the detainees face accusations ranging from “espionage for the Israeli Mossad intelligence agency,” to “media support for Israel” and “disturbing public opinion.”

Just days after the Israeli military launched an unprecedented wave of airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, announced that authorities would expedite the trials of individuals arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Israel.

“If someone is arrested for having ties to and collaborating with the Zionist regime, their trial and punishment should be carried out and announced very quickly, in accordance with the law and given the war conditions,” Ejei was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency on June 16.

Police in the northwestern province of Gilan said Monday that at least 36 people suspected of cooperating with Israel have been arrested in a series of raids across the province since Israel launched its attacks on Iran on June 13. 

Hossein Hasanpour, commander of law enforcement forces in Gilan, said in a statement cited by the semi-official Tasnim news agency that the suspects are accused of spreading false information, collaborating with hostile entities, operating drones near military sites, committing arson, producing homemade explosives and working with opposition groups. The suspects have been referred to the judiciary.

During the raids in Gilan province, authorities also seized various pieces of equipment, including communication devices, improvised explosive devices and Starlink satellite internet receivers, according to Hasanpour.

Similar raids have been reported across Iran. The judiciary’s Mizan news agency quoted judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir on Sunday as saying that three individuals were arrested in the western province of Kermanshah on charges of spying for Israel.

On Saturday, the prosecutor’s office in Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran announced that a total of 54 individuals with alleged ties to Israel had been detained since the outbreak of the war. 

The office said the individuals “were involved in supporting the enemy, gathering intelligence, spreading propaganda against the regime and disseminating falsehoods and rumors with the aim of undermining the country’s internal stability and disrupting public morale.”

In the city of Qom in central Iran, the authorities detained 22 people allegedly tied with Israel, local police said in a statement cited Saturday by the semi-official Fars news agency. 

The head of police intelligence in Qom province said the suspects were arrested on charges of being linked to Israeli spy services and disturbing public opinion.

Even before the war began, Iranian authorities carried out regular operations against people suspected of spying for Israel, often without providing public evidence to substantiate these claims. Israel does not comment on these reports.

Background: On Monday, a 26-year-old man who was arrested in 2023 on charges of spying for Israel was executed by Iranian authorities. “Mohammad-Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh was hanged this morning for intelligence cooperation with the Zionist regime,” the Mizan news agency reported.

Mizan accused Shayesteh of leading a cyber network linked to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and of having close ties to Iran International, a London-based TV channel.

Iran International, which is critical of the Iranian regime, denied the accusation.

Later that day, Mizan also reported that a man identified as Majid Mosayebi was executed by hanging after being convicted of spying and providing sensitive information to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.

Know more: According to Iran’s Health Ministry, Israeli strikes have killed more than 430 people in Iran since the conflict erupted on June 13. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed in Iranian attacks, according to official figures.