Iran's Ministry of Intelligence Reports Arrest of 14 Members of 'ISIS Khorasan' Ahead of Arbaeen Ceremony

Ahead of the Arbaeen ceremony, the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced the identification and arrest of 14 members of a group known as 'ISIS Khorasan.' This branch of the extremist group ISIS is based in Afghanistan and is referred to as 'ISIS Khorasan.' According to Iranian news agencies, the Ministry of Intelligence issued a statement on Friday, September 2, identifying these individuals as 'elements directed by the American-Zionist group ISIS Khorasan.' The ministry's public relations announcement stated that these individuals were identified and arrested 'through a series of operations conducted by the General Departments of Intelligence in the provinces of Tehran, Alborz, Fars, and Khuzestan,' under the orders of a judicial authority. According to the report, seven of these individuals were arrested in Fars province and seven others in Tehran, Alborz, and Khuzestan provinces. The announcement did not mention the names, nationalities, ages, or genders of these individuals, only stating that they had 'illegally entered the country in recent days with the aim of carrying out terrorist operations.' This announcement was made two days before the religious day of Arbaeen, which this year falls on September 4. The Ministry of Intelligence has urged pilgrims attending the ceremony and mosque and takiya officials to report any suspicious activities to the ministry's news headquarters. Last year, around this time, Ismail Khatib, the Minister of Intelligence in Ebrahim Raisi's government, announced that 'about 200' ISIS forces had 'entered the country and were seeking to carry out disruptive and destabilizing activities in the country, the region, and during Arbaeen in Iraq, but due to recent actions and arrests, we are witnessing the neutralization of the majority of them.' In previous Arbaeen ceremonies in Iraq, bombings and explosions have occurred, resulting in the deaths of dozens. However, this year, tens of thousands of Iranians have traveled to Iraq to participate in the ceremony.