Iran’s intelligence ministry said Thursday it had arrested 10 Islamic State group suspects who were planning attacks targeting religious commemorations, days ahead of the major Shiite mourning ritual of Ashura.
The ministry said that “10 Daesh terrorists,” using another name for the Islamic State group, had been arrested, adding that they had been “sent to carry out several terror operations among the mourners.”
Two intelligence agents were injured in a gun battle during the arrests, it added.
Iran also accused arch-foe Israel of using the jihadists as attackers, claiming the men were sent following “last week’s big failure in the explosion of a sensitive center” that it blamed on “separatist terrorists.”
Following that failed attack, Iran’s intelligence ministry on July 27 said it had arrested agents linked to Israel’s Mossad spy agency, who were also members of an outlawed Kurdish rebel group.
