Judicial Official in East Azerbaijan Reports Arrest of Six Members of a 'Spy Gang' in Tabriz

The Chief Justice of East Azerbaijan Province has reported the arrest of a six-member 'spy gang' in Tabriz. According to a report on Wednesday, September 7, by the IRIB News Agency, Hikmat Ali Mozaffari identified this 'gang' as a separatist group named 'Gamo'. As Mr. Mozaffari stated, these individuals were 'collecting classified military and economic documents and providing them to the enemies of the regime.' The Chief Justice of East Azerbaijan Province did not provide further details about the members of this group or how they were arrested. Following statements by Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, regarding America's efforts to 'infiltrate' Iran, military and judicial officials of the Islamic Republic have repeatedly warned about the activities of spies within government structures and institutions. They, along with several hardline members of parliament, have recently pointed to the presence of dual nationals in government offices and have called for their expulsion from state institutions. Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, a conservative member of parliament, recently stated that officials from the IRGC's intelligence unit announced in a meeting with members of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission that dual nationals are 'of interest' to foreign intelligence services. Mr. Naqavi Hosseini quoted IRGC officials, whose names and ranks were not mentioned, as saying that 'dual nationals are seriously targeted by enemy intelligence services and are utilized in infiltration projects, and various examples used have dual citizenship.' Jawad Karimi Qodosi, another member of parliament, also stated earlier in September that the Islamic Republic has suffered the most 'damage' from the 'infiltration of dual nationals' into 'important' ministries, and for this reason, 'security agencies are seeking to identify these individuals.'