Iran says 21,000 arrested during 12-day war with Israel

Iran police arrested as many as 21,000 “suspects” during the country’s 12-day conflict with Israel in June, a law enforcement spokesperson said on Tuesday, according to state media.

Following Israeli air strikes that began on June 13, security forces of Iran launched a nationwide crackdown, setting up checkpoints and urging citizens to report any “suspicious” activity. Police spokesperson Saeid Montazerolmahdi said public tip-offs surged by 41 per cent during the war, leading to the arrests.

He did not specify the charges against those detained, though Tehran has previously accused individuals of passing intelligence that could aid Israeli strikes. Afghan migrants — some accused by authorities of spying for Israel — were also targeted, with police rounding up 2,774 people said to be in the country illegally. Thirty “special security cases” were uncovered through phone inspections, while 261 suspects were detained for alleged espionage and 172 for unauthorised filming.

Read More

Pakistan, US reaffirm commitment to strengthen counterterrorism partnership

Montazerolmahdi said more than 5,700 cybercrime cases, including online fraud and unauthorised withdrawals, were recorded during the war, calling cyberspace “an important battlefront”.

The spokesperson did not disclose how many of the detainees had since been released.