IRGC Reports Discovery of Hundreds of Surveillance and Espionage Devices in Tehran

The Tasnim news agency, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported the discovery of "hundreds of wireless devices, surveillance equipment, espionage, and eavesdropping tools" in northern Tehran by this military force. On Tuesday, July 12, the news agency stated that an "informed source" provided this information. This unnamed source indicated that the equipment was identified and discovered from "a gang". According to him, all members of this gang, which was "systematically selling these devices," have been identified and arrested. The source further added that four of the "main elements of this gang" were identified and arrested by the IRGC's intelligence. Tasnim also reported that the equipment discovered from this gang was smuggled into the country from "border provinces". No official IRGC or its public relations representative has commented or released any information regarding this matter. This news comes at a time when the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC reported the arrest of many individuals linked to "terrorist" groups and the destruction of their ammunition and weapons following a deadly attack by several members of the ISIS group on the administrative building of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and the tomb of Ruhollah Khomeini. Nevertheless, this is one of the few reports published regarding the arrest of a gang selling "surveillance and espionage devices" in the country. Previously, the issue of surveillance devices had stirred controversy in the country, particularly regarding the illegal installation of surveillance equipment in the office of Ali Motahari, a member of parliament, and the home of Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the Minister of Interior in Hassan Rouhani's eleventh government.