TEHRAN: Iran has detained 14 suspected members of the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), the jihadist group’s Afghanistan branch, who were allegedly plotting attacks within the country, authorities announced on Friday.
The arrests were made across several provinces, including Tehran, Alborz, Fars, and Khuzestan, the intelligence ministry said in a statement cited by state news agency IRNA.
The intelligence ministry stated that the suspects had recently entered Iran with intentions to carry out terrorist activities. The specific details of their nationalities and the timing of their arrest have not been disclosed.
In January, IS claimed responsibility for twin explosions in Kerman, southern Iran, that killed over 90 people during a memorial ceremony, marking the deadliest attack in Iran since 1978.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have heightened recently due to ongoing conflicts involving Israeli and Palestinian forces.
In April, Iranian state media also reported the arrest of three suspected IS members near Tehran.