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Iran arrests 97 people it accuses of being 'soldiers of Israel' in massive crackdown
By Emma Bussey
Published March 19, 2026
Iran’s intelligence ministry has arrested 97 people accused of being "soldiers of Israel," according to state media reports Thursday.
The arrests are part of the country’s latest security sweep, which has seen hundreds detained over alleged links to Israel and the United States since the start of the war, Reuters said.
Earlier Thursday, state media also cited the police commander of Alborz province as saying 41 people had been arrested for sending videos to opposition media channels based abroad.
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A billboard depicting Iran's supreme leaders since 1979 is displayed above a highway in Tehran on March 10, 2026. Iran marked the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader on March 9, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
On March 10, Iran’s intelligence ministry also reported it had arrested a foreign national, along with 30 other people it described as spies, internal mercenaries and operational agents of Israel and the U.S., according to Reuters.
The latest wave of arrests came in the wake of the assassination of Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, in a targeted Israeli strike in Tehran.
Khatib’s death was confirmed March 18 by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz 10 days after the start of Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, both targeting the Iranian regime.
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Iran’s Minister of Intelligence Esmaeil Khatib, center, before a speech to members of parliament in Tehran on Aug. 17, 2024. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)
Under Khatib, the intelligence ministry’s role broadened significantly, and it now operates extensive informant networks across universities, media organizations, minority communities and activist circles across the country.
Its agents identify protest organizers, monitor communications and conduct interrogations, according to The Jerusalem Post.
On March 12, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) also said Iranian authorities had arrested nearly 200 people on charges related to the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic.
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The charges include alleged activity on social media, sending content to foreign media outlets, espionage and disturbing public order, HRANA said before adding that its count was based on official reports.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/iran-arrests-97-people-accuses-being-soldiers-israel-massive-crackdown