Iran: 3k Suspected Terror Group Members Detained Over Nationwide Unrest

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian security officials said they have arrested about 3,000 individuals linked to terrorist groups in connection with recent riots, as senior clerics and provincial officials called for tough judicial measures while also urging the government to respond to public economic concerns.

According to security authorities, those detained include ringleaders, individuals accused of ties to the “Israeli” entity, armed suspects and people accused of damaging public and private property during the unrest.

Officials said some of the detainees were involved in deadly attacks, arson incidents and assaults targeting public buildings, mosques and security forces.

Authorities reported that calm has returned to many cities, despite what they described as continued efforts by foreign adversaries to incite instability.

Addressing worshippers during Friday prayers in Tehran, interim prayer leader Sayyed Ahmad Khatami described the unrest as a “terrorist war” and accused the United States and "Israel" of orchestrating violence inside the country.

“This system was not achieved without sacrifice. More than 200,000 martyrs gave their lives for it, and preserving the system is the most important duty,” Khatami said.

He added that Iran’s enemies had hoped for the country’s collapse but would fail as long as Iranians remained committed to defending the nation’s territory.

Sayyed Khatami called for the harshest possible punishments for those involved in violence, saying the public expects decisive judicial action. He also urged authorities to pursue anyone who supported the unrest in any capacity.

At the same time, Sayyed Khatami acknowledged widespread public frustration over rising prices and called on officials to address economic hardships and protect people’s livelihoods.

Iranian media reported funerals and memorial ceremonies across the country for security personnel and civilians killed during attacks attributed to armed groups.

In the northeastern city of Mashhad, large crowds attended the funeral of two individuals described as “martyrs of security” who were killed during unrest. Their coffins were carried to the Imam Reza shrine ahead of burial.

The Martyrs and Veterans Affairs Foundation in Khorasan Razavi province said one of the men was a disabled veteran of the Iran–Iraq war, while the other served in the security forces. Officials said both left behind young children.

Provincial officials elsewhere reported additional arrests of ringleaders.

In Golestan province, police said they discovered a “team house” in Azadshahr and detained a key leader accused of directing armed unrest. Authorities said the suspect confessed to shooting at civilians and security forces, setting vehicles on fire with gasoline, and carrying out attacks using knives, swords, and Molotov cocktails.

The governor of Azadshahr said damage to public and private property was estimated at roughly 1,000 billion rials.

In the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, police reported arresting 10 people accused of forming a “terrorist group” involved in organizing violent protests. Raids at three locations reportedly led to the seizure of Molotov cocktails, homemade weapons, explosive materials, satellite equipment, and other items. Some suspects were said to be from outside the province.

In western Iran, Kermanshah Governor Manoochehr Habibi described the unrest as a large-scale, premeditated terrorist plot, comparing it to actions by the Mujahedin-e Khalq group in the years following the 1979 revolution. He accused US and “Israeli” intelligence services of supplying weapons and directing the violence.

Habibi said armed groups had attacked civilians, police officers and children, and had set fire to mosques and shops in several cities. He said ringleaders had been detained and further arrests were ongoing.

In Tehran province, police announced the arrest of an 18-year-old accused of acting as a local leader during protests in Shahr Qods. In a video released by authorities, the teenager said he had been influenced by foreign-based anti-Iran media, participated in stone-throwing, and later regretted his actions, offering a public apology.