SECURITY — March 17, 2026
Iran's IRGC Arrests 10 Individuals on Espionage Charges in Northeast
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps arrested 10 individuals in the northeast on espionage charges for allegedly gathering sensitive information, amid heightened tensions with the US and Israel. A separate report of Israeli strikes killing senior official Ali Larijani remains unverified.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Khaama Press — 2 min read
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has arrested 10 individuals in the country's northeast on charges of espionage, according to Iranian media reports.
Tasnim news agency stated that the suspects were detained for allegedly gathering sensitive information, with no further operational details provided. Authorities have not disclosed the identities of those arrested, and it remains unclear whether they are linked to foreign intelligence networks.
The arrests occur amid escalating tensions due to ongoing military confrontations involving the United States and Israel against Iran. Iranian officials have warned of increased espionage activities by hostile actors seeking to exploit the conflict environment.
In recent months, Iran has stepped up internal security operations, targeting suspected intelligence networks amid concerns over infiltration and sabotage by regional adversaries.
Separately, Israeli strikes on Monday night reportedly killed senior Iranian official Ali Larijani, a former parliament speaker and nuclear negotiator considered influential in Iran's strategic decision-making. However, full confirmation and details of the incident remain contested.
Read the original reporting at Khaama Press →
Reliability assessment
Multiple independent outlets (News18, The Hindu, Voice of Emirates, Reuters, Firstpost, Jerusalem Post) corroborate the core event of Iran's IRGC arresting 10 individuals (described as foreign nationals or spies) in northeast Iran (Razavi Khorasan province) on espionage charges, citing Tasnim or similar sources, with explicit date matches to March 17, 2026; this upgrades from single-source second-hand reporting. The separate Larijani killing claim remains contested and unverified.
The source language reads straight.
Independent web corroboration
A separate web search returned 8 matching reports. A selection:
Authorities in Iran have arrested ten foreign nationals in the country’s northeast on allegations of espionage, according to a report by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) their forces had arrested 10 "foreign spies" as the war with Israel and the United States continued. "Ten mercenary, treacherous elements were identified and arrested," the Guards ...
After that, they carried out simultaneous arrests that were related to espionage activities. It added that initial investigations revealed their involvement in espionage · Additionally, they collected sensitive information from various locations.
In addition to the 10 foreign individuals arrested in the northeastern Khorasan Razavi province, 55 people were detained in the southern Hormozgan province, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday.
Across the newsrooms
Filed by
Khaama Press
Originating
Reported straight
Reported straight
Filed under
Security — Iran, IRGC, Espionage, Tasnim News, Northeast Iran
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