Iran arrests dozens accused of spying for Israel in new internal crackdown

Fars, a news agency affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported Sunday the West Azerbaijan prosecutor's office had arrested 20 individuals in the northwestern city of Urmia for allegedly providing Israel with information about military, police and security sites.

Authorities said the suspects transferred the locations of military installations and economic infrastructure and shared coordinates of public places, academic institutions and research centers with Israel.

The newspaper said information about potential targets is sent through Israeli Persian-language social media accounts and is verified by Israeli authorities before strikes are carried out.

According to a statement from Bahrain's Police Media Center, the suspects allegedly collected and transmitted coordinates and images of sensitive locations, including hotels, to the IRGC.

Officials said one suspect previously received training at IRGC camps in "trafficking persons and recruiting operatives to participate in implementing terrorist plots."

The five detainees were referred to Bahrain's Public Prosecution, while a sixth suspect identified in the case is believed to be a fugitive abroad.