Iranian authorities have successfully thwarted a plot involving 30 explosive devices intended to detonate simultaneously in Tehran, leading to the arrest of 28 individuals described as “terrorists” with ties to the Islamic State (ISIS), according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. The operation was carried out under the supervision of Iran’s intelligence ministry.
In a statement, Iran’s intelligence ministry disclosed, “Some of the members are of ISIS, and the perpetrators have a history of being affiliated with [extremist] groups in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Kurdistan region of Iraq.” The statement did not provide further details regarding the identities of the detained individuals.
The coordinated attacks were allegedly orchestrated with the aim of destabilizing security within Iran, projecting an image of instability, and instilling fear among the population. The intelligence ministry also revealed that these planned attacks were scheduled to occur on the anniversary of last year’s anti-regime protests, which were initially triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini.
Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman, died on September 16, 2022, following her arrest by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women. Her tragic death served as a catalyst for months of protests that quickly escalated into widespread calls for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.
ISIS has previously claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in Iran, including a pair of deadly twin bombings in 2017 targeting Iran’s parliament and the tomb of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ruhollah Khomeini. More recently, ISIS claimed involvement in an attack on a Shia shrine in October, resulting in the deaths of 15 people in the southwestern city of Shiraz. The presence and activities of ISIS-affiliated individuals or groups in Iran continue to pose a security challenge for Iranian authorities.