Ministry of Intelligence: We have arrested members 'affiliated with ISIS' in western Iran

Four days after statements from Islamic Republic officials regarding the killing of members of a group 'affiliated with ISIS' in Kermanshah province, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence announced that 'fugitive' members of this group have been arrested in the west of the country, and a quantity of 'explosive' materials has been discovered. According to the state news agency IRNA, on Saturday, July 30, the Ministry of Intelligence referred to clashes between Iranian security forces and members of a group described by the ministry as 'Takfiri terrorist' in the west of the country on August 25 and 26, announcing that 'other fugitive elements' of this group were also arrested on August 28. According to this announcement, the attack on this group was carried out in a joint operation by the Ministry of Intelligence and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Ministry of Intelligence also stated that in this operation, 'other hideouts and depots of the group were identified, and significant amounts of kits and electronic remotes, weapons, and bombs' were discovered and seized. In recent months, Iranian security and judicial officials have repeatedly reported the arrest or killing of individuals who were members of Takfiri groups. Additionally, in mid-August, Iran announced the execution of twenty individuals accused of carrying out 'terrorist actions.' This incident sparked widespread protests from human rights organizations, which described the trial process of the accused as 'unfair' and claimed that the confessions of the accused were obtained under torture. Iranian security officials reported on Tuesday, August 26, the occurrence of two clashes between intelligence, security, and law enforcement forces in Kermanshah province with teams 'affiliated with ISIS' in this province, announcing that in these clashes, four individuals affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) were killed, and six others were arrested. Hossein Zolfaqari, the Deputy Security Minister, also stated without providing details that one of the deceased in this clash was 'a high-ranking member of the Takfiri movement in Iraq.' So far, Islamic Republic officials have repeatedly reported the arrest of 'terrorist' groups affiliated with the Islamic State in Iran without providing details. On June 21, the Ministry of Intelligence also announced in a statement the 'neutralization' of 'several bombings' planned by 'Wahhabi Takfiri groups' in Tehran and 'several other provinces' and the arrest of several individuals in this regard. Following that, Iranian television aired a video in which it was stated that these individuals had been instructed by the Islamic State (ISIS) to carry out attacks in '50 locations in Tehran.'