Authorities in Iran’s Qom province have arrested 22 individuals suspected of having ties to Israeli intelligence, as the country intensifies its crackdown on alleged espionage activities linked to the ongoing regional conflict.
According to the AFP, the arrests, which were carried out between June 13 and June 21, were confirmed by Iran’s Fars news agency on Saturday.
The report cited a senior police intelligence official in Qom, who said the suspects were accused of collaborating with “Zionist spy services,” spreading misinformation, and supporting what he called “the criminal regime.”
“Twenty-two individuals were identified and detained for establishing connections with the Zionist regime’s intelligence apparatus, attempting to mislead public opinion, and backing Israel’s criminal actions,” the intelligence head reportedly stated.
The development follows a similar announcement on Thursday by Iranian police, who revealed the arrest of 24 other individuals accused of spying for Israel and attempting to damage Iran’s global image.
On Friday, state-linked Tasnim news agency also reported the detention of a European national on suspicion of espionage. The person’s nationality and the exact timing of the arrest remain undisclosed.
Iran has frequently reported arrests of suspected foreign spies, with several cases resulting in executions in recent weeks.
According to Norway-based Iran Human Rights, at least 223 people across Iran have been arrested so far in connection with alleged collaboration with Israel. However, the group warned that the actual number could be significantly higher.
As tensions continue to rise in the region, international observers have raised concerns over the implications of Iran’s internal crackdown, particularly amid fears of broader conflict involving Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The Iranian government has yet to provide detailed evidence linking the arrested individuals to espionage or hostile activity.
