Iran Arrests 50 People on Espionage Charges, Alleges Links to U.S. and Israel

TEHRAN — Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence announced Sunday the arrest of 50 individuals across the country on charges of passing sensitive national security information to enemy states, in what officials are calling one of the largest counter-espionage sweeps in recent months.
According to an official statement, those detained are accused of maintaining direct contact with American and Israeli intelligence agencies and allegedly sharing classified information related to Iran’s military installations, nuclear sites, and critical defence infrastructure.
The Ministry spokesperson declared: “This network had been operating covertly for several months. Our timely intervention has prevented potentially catastrophic damage to national security.”
Among those arrested are reportedly government employees, technical specialists and contractors with access to sensitive facilities — raising serious concerns within Tehran’s security establishment about the depth of the alleged infiltration.
Iran has not yet disclosed the identities of the detainees or the specific locations where arrests were made, citing ongoing investigations. The accused now face prosecution under Iran’s strict national security and anti-espionage laws, which carry penalties ranging from lengthy imprisonment to the death sentence.
Human rights organisations have swiftly raised alarm, calling on Iranian authorities to ensure due process, transparent trials and access to legal representation for all those detained.
Washington and Tel Aviv have not yet issued an official response to the allegations.
The arrests come at a particularly sensitive time, as Iran-U.S. tensions remain at a boiling point following the collapse of peace talks in Islamabad and mounting pressure over Tehran’s nuclear programme.