Iran’s Intelligence Ministry Reports Arrest of 22 People in Connection with Ahvaz Attack

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry announced the arrest of 22 people, describing them as “perpetrators” of the attack on a military forces parade in Ahvaz. The ministry stated that these individuals were detained in a “operational house.”

According to Iranian television, the Intelligence Ministry announced on Monday evening, Mehr 2, that it had identified the “operational house of the perpetrators” of the attack on the military forces parade in Ahvaz and arrested 22 individuals.

The statement said that “explosives, military and communications equipment” were discovered in this house.

On Monday morning, Mahmoud Alavi, the Intelligence Minister, also stated without providing details that “a significant portion of the operatives” of the attack on Iran’s military forces parade in Ahvaz had been arrested.

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry described the attackers and those arrested as “affiliated with separatist takfiri groups under the support of reactionary Arab countries.”

Islamic Republic officials have pointed the finger at a group called the “Arab Liberation Movement of Ahvaz,” but a spokesperson for this group stated in various interviews that the “Ahvaz National Resistance Movement” was involved in the attack.

This group, which has released no reports of its activities to date, has issued no statement on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the Ahvaz attack simultaneously.

At least 24 people were killed and over 60 wounded in the Ahvaz attack.

Without presenting evidence, the leader and other Islamic Republic officials have accused Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Israel of playing a role in the attack on Iran’s military forces parade in Ahvaz.

The United States and the United Arab Emirates have denied these claims.

The Islamic State group posted a video on the “Amaq news” site claiming it contains images and statements from three of the four attackers of the military parade in Ahvaz.

Iranian officials had previously stated that four armed attackers of the Ahvaz attack were killed in response by military personnel present at the scene.

However, the Intelligence Ministry stated that there were five attackers.

According to the Fars news agency, the attackers “arrived at the scene at 4:30 AM on Saturday morning and returned again at 8 AM to check the situation and finally began their attack at 9 AM.”

Based on this report, the attackers “wore Basij uniforms and were armed with Kalashnikov rifles with several extra magazines.”

Fars added: Three of these individuals had family relations with each other and “two of them were brothers and the third was their cousin.”

Simultaneously with the issuance of the Intelligence Ministry’s statement, some social media users reported the widespread arrest of Arab activists following the attack. Previously, some analysts had expressed concern about the Islamic Republic’s potential exploitation of the Ahvaz attack to arrest Arab activists.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps threatened on Sunday that it would “spare no effort in pursuing and severely punishing criminals in the region and beyond.”

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry similarly made a threat in its statement, announcing that it “will monitor and punish terrorist groups and their affiliated elements wherever they are in the region and the world.”

Source: Radio Farda