Iran arrests 500 alleged ‘enemy collaborators’ as war with US, Israel rages on

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Some 500 have been arrested across Iran allegedly over “collaborating with the enemy,” the country’s police chief announced Sunday, including 20 individuals considered “highly sensitive cases” over their purported connections to Iranian dissident groups and media outlets.

In an interview he gave to the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Radan stated, “We have arrested 500 individuals who were … collaborating with the enemy to compromise our national security during this time of war.”

Iran’s police chief added that “among these, 250 cases are of a very serious nature,” concerning “individuals who were providing the enemy with coordinates and sensitive data that helped guide foreign strikes against our infrastructure."

The mass arrests come as the US-Israel joint campaign against Iran entered its sixteenth day on Sunday, with the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announcing in its latest tally that the operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, had targeted more than 6,000 targets across Iran since its start on February 28, reiterating that the objective of the campaign is to dismantle the country’s security structure.

Radan on Sunday said the individuals who had been arrested were being charged with “providing information” through UK-based Iran International media outlet “to serve enemy purposes,” and for “being in contact with opposition groups, photographing enemy-targeted locations, sending photos and videos abroad, and attempting to disrupt public security in the country.”

Of note, Iran International is a Persian-language satellite television network that serves as an influential platform for Iranian opposition voices. The outlet is a central target for the Iranian government, which has officially designated it as a “terrorist organization.”

The Iranian police chief added that “thorough investigations with the detainees are ongoing, especially with the 20 individuals considered highly sensitive cases, with whom strategic interactions are being carried out.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Ahmad Reza Radan warned that Iranian police would respond forcefully to any street protests, stating that officers would be prepared to use their weapons if demonstrations occur.

“We will deal with them the same way we deal with our enemies. All our forces are ready, with their hands on the trigger, prepared to defend our [Islamic] Revolution,” he cautioned.

Radan’s warning follows the nationwide crackdown on protests in January, which were triggered by economic grievances. Iranian authorities reported over 3,000 deaths during the unrest, including security personnel and bystanders, and attributed the violence to “terrorist acts” by Iran’s enemies.

However, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported more than 7,000 deaths - mostly protesters - and over 50,000 arrests.