Iran’s Intelligence Ministry says its forces have identified a significant number of spies linked to the Israeli Mossad spy agency in 28 countries across the world.
In a statement on Friday, the ministry announced what it described as the “largest combined intelligence and counter-intelligence operation” against the Israeli regime’s espionage and security organizations.
The statement underlined that the “venturesome” operation was conducted in the form of a series of intelligence-counterintelligence, offensive-defensive actions, and through the use of various methods of intelligence gathering, which led to obtaining a "unique" and "unprecedented" collection of information.
“In addition to intelligence and security findings, obtaining special information related to some of the most important secret military facilities, weapons factories, and strategic civilian industries of the usurping Zionist regime is also among the achievements of the ministry’s large and multi-stage operation,” the statement added.
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry stressed that the combined project resulted in spotting “tens of spies and terrorist elements” affiliated with the Israeli regime in 28 countries across the world and in three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.
Stopping short of naming the countries involved in the operation, the statement said, “A number of spies in Tehran and several provinces of the country” were identified and dealt with legally or kept under security surveillance. “Also, several Iranian spies residing abroad were identified.”
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said the particulars of foreign spies active in countries with which the Islamic Republic maintains relations will be provided to their respective intelligence bodies for due measures, including punitive and intelligence.
Pointing to the background and records of the identified spies, the statement said some of them “voluntarily” cooperated with the Mossad and committed treason against their countries, adding that the Israeli agency “forced” them to carry out various treacherous operations against the interests of their respective countries.
The ministry also underlined that the Israeli regime tapped into various methods and abused social media platforms as well as immigration and job-seeking sites to identify and communicate with the victims.
The statement said investigation and obtaining further information regarding the spies would continue.
On Monday, four individuals convicted of working for the Israeli spy agency and plotting a bomb attack in the country’s central province of Isfahan were executed in Iran.
In December last year, four main members of a sabotage team affiliated with Mossad were also executed in the northwestern Iranian province of West Azarbaijan after being convicted of acting against the country’s security.
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry has over the past years foiled numerous terrorist attacks by Mossad and its affiliated stooges against the country, also arresting and bringing to justice many terrorist members linked to Daesh and separatist outfits.