Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it has arrested 178 individuals accused of espionage for the United States and Israel since the outbreak of the ongoing war, according to reports from Mehr News Agency.
The IRGC stated that those detained were allegedly involved in transmitting sensitive information, including images and coordinates of Red Crescent facilities and military checkpoints, to US and Israeli intelligence services for potential targeting.
The IRGC added that several foreign nationals were among those arrested. These individuals were reportedly found in possession of weapons, location-tracking devices, specialized communication equipment, and foreign currencies.
The arrests come as the conflict has entered what Iranian officials describe as a “new stage,” following recent attacks on critical energy infrastructure. Among the most significant incidents was the strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field, one of the world’s largest natural gas reserves.
According to sources cited by Reuters, three unidentified Israeli officials said the attack on South Pars was coordinated with the United States but is unlikely to be repeated. The remarks contrast with statements from Donald Trump, who said he “knew nothing about this particular attack.” The strike has since triggered a wave of Iranian retaliation across the region, including reported attacks on Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility and energy infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, raising growing concerns over the stability of global energy supplies.
