Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that it had arrested eight individuals suspected of passing coordinates of sensitive sites and details about senior military officials to Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad. The arrests were made during investigations into activities connected to the June war between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The conflict began in June when Israeli forces struck Iranian nuclear facilities, killing top military commanders and scientists. The attacks marked the most significant blow to the Islamic Republic since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Iran retaliated by launching missile and drone attacks on Israeli targets, while the US carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on June 22 in support of Israel.
In a statement, the IRGC said the suspects had received specialized training from Mossad through online platforms. Authorities apprehended them in northeastern Iran before they could execute their plans. During the arrests, Iranian forces seized materials for making launchers, bombs, explosives, and booby traps.
Earlier reports from state media indicated that Iranian police had detained as many as 21,000 people during the 12-day conflict, though officials did not provide details on the alleged offenses of those arrested. The government also increased street patrols and checkpoints as part of a nationwide security campaign.
Iran has executed at least eight people in recent months, including nuclear scientist Rouzbeh Vadi, who was hanged on August 9 for allegedly providing Israel with intelligence on another scientist killed in Israeli airstrikes. Human rights groups have criticized Iran for using espionage charges and rapid executions as tools for political repression.
Israel described its attacks as necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons capable of threatening the Jewish state. Iran, however, denies seeking nuclear arms, though it has enriched uranium to levels that have no known peaceful use, restricted international inspections, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities. Israel claims these steps indicate efforts toward weaponization.
Iran’s retaliatory strikes involved over 500 ballistic missiles and approximately 1,100 drones launched at Israeli targets. The attacks killed 31 people and injured more than 3,000, according to Israeli health authorities.
The June conflict ended with a US-brokered ceasefire, but tensions between the countries remain high. The IRGC’s arrests highlight Iran’s focus on countering espionage threats and securing sensitive military information amid regional instability.
