Iran arrests 127 over alleged preparations for 'enemy attack'

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) arrested at least 127 people across the country who it claimed were affiliated with the UK, US and Israel, and were "preparing the groundwork for a military attack by the enemy."

According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC arrested seven suspects in East Azerbaijan province, alleging they "were preparing weapons and planning sabotage activities, while also sending coordinates of sensitive sites to their contact abroad."

Another 69 individuals were arrested in Mazandaran province, while in Kerman province, 51 others—including three "espionage teams" —were identified, it added.

Tehran has detained dozens of people on spying charges following the US-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, which has killed more than 3,000 people.

A recently strengthened espionage law allows the authorities to impose the death penalty on those accused of spying and confiscate their property.