TEHRAN — Iranian authorities have carried out a wave of arrests and multiple executions of people suspected of links to Israeli intelligence agencies, in the wake of the recent war between the two countries.
It comes after what officials describe as an unprecedented infiltration of Iranian security services by Israeli agents.
Authorities suspect information fed to Israel played a part in a series of high-profile assassinations during the conflict. This included the targeted killings of senior commanders from the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and nuclear scientists, which Iran attributes to operatives of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency working inside the country.
Shaken by the scale and precision of these killings, authorities have been targeting anyone suspected of working with foreign intelligence, saying it is for the sake of national security.
But many fear this is also a way to silence dissent and tighten control over the population.
During the 12-day conflict, Iranian authorities executed three people accused of spying for Israel. On Wednesday, just one day after the ceasefire, three more individuals were executed on similar charges.
Officials have since announced the arrest of hundreds of suspects across the country on accusations of espionage. State television has aired alleged confessions from several detainees, purportedly admitting to collaboration with Israeli intelligence.
Human rights groups and activists have expressed fears over the latest developments, citing Iran's longstanding practice of extracting forced confessions and conducting unfair trials. There are concerns that more executions may follow.
Iran's Ministry of Intelligence claims it is engaged in a "relentless battle" against what it calls Western and Israeli intelligence networks - including the CIA, Mossad, and MI6.
According to Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the IRGC, since the beginning of Israel's attack on Iran on 13 June, "the Israeli spy network has become highly active inside the country". Fars reported that over the course of 12 days, Iranian intelligence and security forces arrested "more than 700 individuals linked to this network".
Iranians have told BBC Persian they received warning text messages from Iran's intelligence ministry informing them their phone numbers had appeared on social media pages related to Israel. They were instructed to leave these pages or face prosecution.
The Iranian government has also stepped up pressure on journalists working for Persian-language media outlets abroad, including BBC Persian and the London-based Iran International and Manoto TV.
According to Iran International, the IRGC detained the mother, father, and brother of one of its TV presenters in Tehran to pressure her into resigning over the channel's coverage of the Iran-Israel conflict. The presenter received a phone call from her father, prompted by security agents, urging her to quit and warning of further consequences. — BBC
