Rumor of Bombing at Tehran Metro Station Denied

After the state news agency IRNA reported the 'evacuation' of Shahid Haqqani Metro Station in Tehran on Tuesday afternoon, December 1, due to a 'bombing rumor', the police denied the bombing and stated that the reason for the 'evacuation' was 'conducting a police operational drill'. The state news agency IRNA cited 'a reliable source in the Tehran Metro Company' that after the rumor of a 'possible bombing' at Shahid Haqqani Metro Station spread, the station was 'evacuated with the presence of metro security personnel and police forces'. This news was removed from the IRNA website shortly after publication, but some news websites had republished it. Meanwhile, reports indicated that a rumor circulated on mobile social networks attributing this 'bombing' to the 'Islamic State' group (ISIS). However, the Tehran police's information center denied these rumors, stating that the metro was 'closed as part of the operational drill of Greater Tehran police to maintain the capability and readiness of police forces'. According to the state news agency IRNA, the announcement emphasized that 'there is no threat of bombing at Shahid Haqqani station or any other locations in Tehran'. The police also announced that 'the perpetrators of this rumor have been identified and will be arrested soon'. Meanwhile, according to Mehr News Agency, Ehsan Moghadam, the public relations manager of Tehran Metro, stated that on Tuesday, by order of the police, 'we did not take passengers at this station from 15:16 to 17:00'. According to Mr. Moghadam, citizens waiting for the train at this station were 'evacuated, but everything returned to normal after 17:00'. On November 22, a rumor about a bombing at the metro station in Toopkhaneh Square in Tehran was also circulated on social media. On November 28, Mohsen Khanchalari, head of Tehran's preventive police, stated that a 'suspect' carrying 'drugs' was shouting 'bomb, bomb' and intended to 'clear a path for his escape among the people'. According to Mr. Khanchalari, this individual has been arrested. The denial of the bombing at Haqqani station comes as Iranian media reports indicate that police have been present 'extensively' at metro stations, inspecting 'suspicious' individuals since last week. Meanwhile, the website Amadnews reported on Wednesday the presence of 'numerous forces affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards' at checkpoints on Peyrozi Street in Tehran. This website also published images of 'numerous riot police' in the streets of Tehran, particularly in Tajrish Square. Hossein Sajjadi-Nia, commander of Greater Tehran police, on Saturday, December 7, cited the reason for the increase in police personnel and the presence of special units in the streets of Tehran as conducting 'anti-terrorism drills' and practicing to counter 'potential threats'. According to Mr. Sajjadi-Nia, in this 'operational drill', police units including special forces, undercover male and female personnel, and bomb disposal teams are present. Following the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, November 22, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Iraq's foreign minister, stated that his country's intelligence service had obtained information indicating that France, the United States, and Iran are among the countries that terrorists intend to target for new attacks. In response to this warning, Hossein Ashtari, commander of the Islamic Republic's police, stated on Tuesday, November 26, that the security apparatus of the Islamic Republic is 'fully prepared' to deal with any potential action. On the same day, Bahman Reyhani, commander of the Nabi Akram Corps in Kermanshah, reported that 'many teams' from the 'Islamic State' group (ISIS) 'that have been active in this province for the past two years have been arrested by the Corps and the Ministry of Intelligence'. A day earlier, Mahmoud Alavi, the Minister of Intelligence, had mentioned that 'over 10 terrorist groups were discovered' during the month of Muharram. The Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic also reported on Saturday, November 30, the 'destruction of two terrorist teams' in the provinces of West Azerbaijan and Sistan and Baluchestan.