Broadcast of a Film About Suspects Collaborating with 'ISIS' on Iranian Television

Iran's state television, Channel Two and News Network, aired a film about individuals accused of collaborating with the 'Islamic State'. The film claims they intended to carry out attacks at '50 locations in Tehran'. Additionally, statements from two of the detainees were shown. The film, titled 'Depth of Failure', was broadcast on July 4. This film and the statements of the arrested suspects were aired following recent comments from Iranian officials regarding the 'neutralization' of Islamic State operations in various locations and the arrest of individuals related to this matter. Previously, Mahmoud Alavi, Iran's Minister of Intelligence, reported the arrest of '10 Takfiri Wahhabi terrorists' in Tehran and three border and central provinces, stating that 'they had identified fifty explosive targets'. Similar claims were made in the film aired on the News Network; according to the individuals shown, they estimated that each explosion in Tehran would result in 'about 50 casualties'. They claimed to have received '600,000 euros' for their 'operations', and 'some of their meetings were held in front of Daneshjoo Park'. They stated, 'ISIS instructed us to procure vehicles with Tehran and suburban license plates for operations in Tehran'. The Tasnim news agency reported that a series of operations to arrest suspects collaborating with the 'Islamic State' began on June 15, 2016, and 'the final intelligence blows were dealt to this group on June 20'. At the same time, news of the arrest of 10 of them was published. These statements were also previously made by Mahmoud Alavi, the Minister of Intelligence. Last Wednesday, Farhad Afsharnia, the head of the judiciary in Khuzestan, reported the execution of 'two or three operations' against 'several sabotage teams intending to enter central regions from Khuzestan', resulting in the deaths of some of their members. The film states that the 'attacks' were planned to be carried out as 'suicide bombings, remote detonations, and car bombings' in 'crowded centers'. The News Network and Channel Two reported that 'Takfiri groups have established a new base 20 kilometers from Saravan in the border region of Sistan and Baluchestan.' Saravan and Sistan and Baluchestan are areas that have repeatedly reported clashes. For instance, in the past two years, in January 2015, two members of the IRGC and one Basij member were killed in this area. In February of the same year, a school principal was killed due to gunfire in this county, which was said to have 'no terrorist motives'. At that time, the representative of Saravan in the parliament stated that '200 kilograms of explosives' belonging to an anti-government group were discovered in this city. A month later, the Iranian Ministry of Interior reported that several members of groups labeled as 'counter-revolutionary and outlaws' in western and southern Iran, including Sistan and Baluchestan, had 'surrendered'. The Islamic Republic's police reported at the end of June this year the killing of five members of Jaish al-Adl and one police officer in a clash in the Khash region. In this context, 'the dismantling of a terrorist network intending to carry out suicide operations in Tehran' was mentioned. The advisor to the Quds Force commander stated: 'The war with ISIS is hard and long-term.' The Leader of Iran stated: 'Iraq and Syria were a prelude to incapacitating Iran.'