IRNA: Explosive Device Discovered and Neutralized in Golestan Province

On Thursday, March 18, IRNA reported, citing an "informed source in the Golestan Intelligence Department," that an "explosive device" was "identified and neutralized" at one of the Imamzadehs in this province. According to the news agency, this "explosive device" was identified at the Imamzadeh in the village of "Savar Kalateh," near the city of Aliabad Katul, "with the help of surveillance cameras." The report, quoting the "informed source," stated: "The perpetrators of this act had also left the city gas open to increase the explosion's intensity." It added: "It is anticipated that the perpetrator or perpetrators of this sabotage intended to increase casualties due to the crowding on the last Thursday of the year at the Imamzadeh in Savar Kalateh, Aliabad Katul." The IRNA report did not provide further details about this "explosive device." The village of "Savar Kalateh," with a population of 400, is located 45 kilometers northeast of Gorgan, the capital of Golestan Province. The news of the neutralization of the "explosive device" in Golestan comes as Iranian security officials have repeatedly reported arrests in recent months of individuals allegedly intending to carry out terrorist operations in Iran. For instance, Mahmoud Alavi, Iran's Minister of Intelligence, reported on Wednesday, November 10, the arrest of "individuals" who, according to him, intended to carry out bombings in the religious city of Qom during the days of Muharram this year. On Tuesday, October 6, Alavi also mentioned the discovery of two explosive vests without providing details, stating that these vests were prepared for an explosion on the day known as Quds Day in Iran, the last Friday of Ramadan, in two provinces. Iranian officials have not explicitly identified the groups that, according to them, have recently intended to carry out bombings and "suicide operations" in Iran, but some have referred to the transnational nature of some of these groups. For instance, Hossein Zolfaqari, the Deputy Minister of Security and Law Enforcement of the Islamic Republic, stated on Tuesday, October 20, that "armed and guerrilla groups that are not in our region carry out scattered attacks." He also reported that 24 groups intended to enter Iranian territory for "suicide operations," but Iranian forces prevented their entry and "destroyed" two groups before they could enter the country. Zolfaqari also mentioned on March 8 that "ISIS had equipped several bands to create insecurity in Iran, which were destroyed." Meanwhile, the Minister of Intelligence had previously reported the arrest of 130 individuals associated with "takfiri" groups in the country. Additionally, Iranian media reported on June 13, citing one of the Deputy Ministers of Intelligence named "Khazaei," about the arrest of 30 individuals linked to the "ISIS" group within a month.