Iran has arrested ‘dozens of spies’: intelligence minister

TEHRAN: Iran’s intelligence minister said “dozens of spies” have been arrested as a part of a crackdown on espionage and twin nationals and alluded to an agent Iran had positioned within the Israeli government, Iranian media reported on Wednesday.

Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi did not provide details of the “dozens of spies”, or over what period they were arrested within the interview televised past due on Tuesday.

He said Iran had planted the agent “within the cupboard of a rustic that has a totally robust intelligence service”.

The conservative Tasnim news employer said this turned into a connection with Gonen Segev, a former Israeli power and infrastructure minister who became charged with spying by means of a Jerusalem court docket final month.

“Financially and thru other method, our enemies attempt to get information on our united states,” Alavi stated the interview.

“They act via spying and infiltration. Fortunately the anti-espionage segment is one of the most powerful sections of this ministry.”

The minister said there was also a concerted effort to root out dual nationals operating in reliable positions.

“If you know everyone, tell us about them,” he stated.

Alavi noted the danger from the Sunni Muslim extremists of the Islamic State organization (IS), which sees Shiite-majority Iran as one among its primary enemies inside the area.

He stated 230 “terrorist cells” have been intercepted during the last year.

“We foiled plots on locations together with universities and the metro however we posted little statistics approximately this,” Alavi stated.

IS accomplished a multi-pronged assault on Iran’s parliament and the shrine of progressive chief Ruhollah Khomeini in June 2017 that killed 17 human beings.

Alavi also pointed out a crackdown by way of the authorities on corruption and those manipulating Iran’s chaotic foreign money costs, which have been a prime recognition of discontent in recent months.

“If we need to have a dynamic economic system, we have to combat financial corruption. In the intelligence ministry, we have opened 130 documents and greater than a hundred and eighty suspects were arrested,” he stated.