Iran claims it has arrested Israeli-linked ‘terrorist group’ at western border

“A terrorist group associated with the Zionist regime which entered the country from the western borders was arrested,” Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib said.

By JNS

Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib said on Sunday that an Israel-affiliated “terrorist group” had been arrested on the country’s western border, Reuters reported.

Iran has accused Israel in the past of conducting operations inside its borders to thwart its nuclear program—in December of last year executing four men convicted of cooperating with Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. Three other people received prison sentences of between five and 10 years.

In October, Tehran announced it had arrested 10 persons accused of working for Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in April at a ceremony honoring Mossad operatives that the spy agency’s “ultimate mission” was to prevent the Iranian regime from acquiring nuclear capabilities.

“If we do not prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, we will be in a different reality, where the entire world will be held hostage by a party bent on destroying us, and that is why this is our ultimate mission,” said Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, Tehran has been working the diplomatic channels to restore ties with countries in the Arab world—the most high-profile being Saudi Arabia, a country that Israel has hopes of eventually joining the Abraham Accords. Iran has also been working on a rapprochement with Egypt, according to media reports, with an Iranian member of parliament saying that embassies in Cairo and Tehran would be reopened in the near future.

Another Iranian parliamentarian, a member of the National Security Committee, Shahryar Haidari, said that Tehran might restore diplomatic relations with Washington if the United States apologizes “for its mistakes during the past 44 years,” according to a report in Iran International.

Haidari also said that Washington has suggested holding direct bilateral talks with Tehran.