Iranian authorities have detained some 130 people in connection with January's protests and suspected espionage for Israel and the US, according to Iranian media reports. Of those, 126 were arrested for alleged sabotage and rioting during the protests, and four are accused of spying for Israel and the United States.
Iranian media reported on Wednesday evening that authorities have detained some 130 individuals in a sweeping security crackdown linked to two distinct tracks: the January protests that swept the country, and alleged espionage on behalf of Israel and the United States. According to the reports, 126 of the detainees were arrested on charges of "sabotage operations and rioting" during the protests that erupted in January 2026 following a wave of civil unrest. Four additional individuals face accusations of spying for Israel and the US. The announcement comes amid an ongoing Iranian campaign against domestic dissent and foreign intelligence infiltration. As The Zioneer has previously reported, Iran has pursued a broad crackdown on protest participants, including expelling students and excluding security detainees from pardons. Separately, in recent weeks, Israeli citizens in Haifa were charged with spying for Iran, highlighting the reciprocal espionage dynamic between the two countries. The exact identities of the four accused spies were not disclosed in the initial reports, and the status of the espionage investigations remains unclear.
- StrongIran's intelligence ministry arrests suspect for allegedly leaking classified data to the US
- StrongKnesset employee suspected of spying for Iran
- DevelopingIran university expels 10 students for taking part in January protests
- DevelopingUS imposes sanctions on 13 individuals and entities for IRGC-linked arms procurement
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
- Internal intake