Iranian authorities announced on Sunday, May 10, that two operational cells allegedly connected to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency were broken up during simultaneous security operations nationwide. The ministry said the cells were planning attacks on sensitive facilities and an assassination in Tehran. Israel has not responded to the claims.
In a detailed statement, the Ministry of Intelligence said a four-person cell was broken up in West Azerbaijan province in northwestern Iran. According to the ministry, the group had been planning what it called “terrorist operations against sensitive centers” as well as a specific assassination plot targeting an individual in Tehran. During the operation, security forces killed one operative in a direct firefight and apprehended the remaining three members, the ministry said.
A second cell was uncovered through simultaneous intelligence operations in Kerman and Alborz provinces, according to Roya News, which reported the ministry’s statement. Security forces monitored the group’s movements and arrested its members before any attack could be carried out, the ministry said. It did not specify how many individuals were detained in this second operation or disclose their identities.
Weapons and Equipment Seized
The ministry said authorities recovered a substantial cache of equipment from the detained operatives. Items seized included multiple micro-UAVs — described as small explosive drones — along with a specialised vehicle for their deployment. Firearms recovered included three silenced handguns, a Winchester shotgun, and a scoped sniper rifle. Security forces also seized bulletproof vests and a large quantity of ammunition, the ministry said.
Among the most operationally significant items, according to the ministry, were several Starlink satellite communication terminals. The ministry claimed the devices were being used to maintain secure, unmonitored contact with foreign handlers abroad, though it provided no technical evidence for this assertion.
The Ministry of Intelligence stated that both cells were operating under the direct guidance of Israeli intelligence and that their objective was to destabilise Iran following what it described as “recent military escalations.” The ministry did not specify which escalations it was referring to.
Arrest at Border Crossing
In a separate development announced in the same statement, Iranian security forces said they had arrested a man identified only as “Masoud-T” at an undisclosed northern border crossing. The ministry described him as having attempted to smuggle classified documents out of Iran. The material allegedly related to a sensitive military installation in Qazvin province, located roughly 150 kilometres northwest of Tehran. The ministry called him a “traitor” but provided no further details about his identity, nationality, or the precise nature of the documents.
The ministry urged Iranian citizens to report suspicious activity through its hotline at number 113 or via official accounts on domestic messaging platforms including Eitaa, Bale, Rubika, and Soroush Plus. The statement said the security of what it called “the internal front” remains a top priority.
Regional Context
The announcement comes against a period of heightened Iran-Israel tensions following a series of military exchanges between the two countries over the past two years. Iran and Israel do not maintain diplomatic relations and have engaged in a pattern of covert operations, drone and missile strikes, and intelligence activity targeting each other’s assets and personnel. Iranian authorities have made repeated claims of foiling Israeli intelligence operations on Iranian soil, though these claims are regularly disputed or left unaddressed by Israeli officials.
Iran’s nuclear negotiations with the United States are ongoing, with Russian President Vladimir Putin having proposed that enriched uranium be stored in Russia as part of a potential framework agreement, according to separate reporting by Roya News on May 10.
Background
Iran and Israel have conducted a shadow conflict involving assassinations, cyberattacks, and proxy operations for more than a decade. Iran has previously announced the dismantling of alleged Mossad networks on Iranian soil, including in 2022 and 2023, with arrests that led to executions in some cases. The Mossad has been publicly linked by Western and Israeli media to operations inside Iran, including the killing of nuclear scientists, though Israel rarely confirms individual operations. Starlink terminals have been found in conflict zones globally and their presence in Iran, where the service is officially banned, has been reported previously by Iranian state media in other alleged espionage cases.
Background
The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence said security operations are called on the public to remain vigilant. The arrested individuals are expected to face prosecution under Iranian law, where espionage convictions carry the death penalty. Israel has not issued any statement in response to the announcement as of Sunday. Iran-US nuclear talks are continuing separately, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on May 10 that Iran would “never bow” to its enemies, according to Roya News.
