Police in Qom province in Iran have announced the arrest of 22 individuals allegedly connected to Israeli intelligence services, according to a report by Fars news agency on Saturday.
The arrests reportedly took place between 13 June and the present date, with authorities claiming the suspects were “linked to Israeli spy services.”
“22 people were identified and arrested on charges of being linked to the Zionist regime’s spy services, disturbing public opinion and supporting the criminal regime,” the agency said, citing the head of police intelligence in Iran’s Qom province.
The latest arrests come after Iranian police announced on Thursday the detention of 24 individuals accused of spying for Israel and attempting to damage the country’s reputation, according to a statement published by Tasnim news agency.
In a separate development, Tasnim reported on Friday that a European national had also been arrested for espionage, though the individual’s nationality and the exact date of the arrest were not disclosed.
Iran frequently reports the arrest of suspected spies, with several executions carried out in recent weeks in connection with such charges.
The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights stated that at least 223 people have been arrested across the country for alleged collaboration with Israel. The group warned that the true number is likely higher, citing concerns about transparency and due process in such cases.
