The Iranian Ministry of Security announced the arrest of 97 agents who were planning, under the direction of the "American Zionist enemy," to cause riots and casualties on the last Wednesday of the year.
The ministry said in a statement that firearms and ammunition were seized from the detainees, and that five armed cells "working for the enemy" were dismantled in Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran. It added that the operation resulted in the seizure of 10 high-explosive hand grenades, two Kalashnikov rifles, and large quantities of ammunition.
In a related context, the ministry announced the arrest of 13 spies in the southeast of the country, and the destruction of the terrorist cell of the criminal Nematollah Shahbakhsh, known as "Jamouk," in a joint operation between the intelligence directorate in Sistan and Baluchestan, the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard, and the internal security forces.
The Ministry of Intelligence concluded its statement by affirming that these operations were carried out "in commemoration of the martyred Minister of Intelligence, Hojjat al-Islam Seyyed Ismail Khatib," stressing that "the unknown soldiers of Imam Mahdi will deal with the enemy elements with greater firmness than ever before."
