TEHRAN -- Iran’s intelligence forces have uncovered and dismantled a terrorist network in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, which was affiliated with separatist operatives, and arrested its members.
The Intelligence Ministry in a statement said its forces identified and arrested all 10 members of the network in an operation carried out in cooperation with Hamzeh Seyed al-Shohada Base of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force as well as the Justice Ministry’s provincial office.
It added that the terrorist network had formed a number of cells and was attempting to carry out various acts of sabotage, explosions, and attacks against Iran’s economic centers and facilities, causing roadblocks and extorting money from ordinary people, especially successful local entrepreneurs.
The statement noted that members of the network, backed by terrorists holed up in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, were trying to sneak through border areas into Iran’s West Azarbaijan province.
The ministry statement said that they were all arrested in a series of carefully-planned and surprise operations by Iranian intelligence forces.
The sophisticated, technical, and telecommunication equipment as well as military equipment, including various firearms, rocket-propelled grenades, grenades, and TNT explosives were also confiscated from their possession, it added.
Describing the security of the Iranian nation as the ministry’s red line, the statement said Iran once again calls on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials to expel terrorists, rogue elements, and enemies of public security and calm.
Iranian forces frequently engage in clashes with terrorist outfits and carry out operations against them near the country’s western and eastern borders.
Last Saturday, the IRGC said it had disbanded a team of terrorists in the same province.

Members of the Hamzeh Seyyed al-Shohada base ambushed the terrorists as they were trying to infiltrate the country from West Azarbaijan’s Salmas County, it said in a statement.
A large cache of weapons, ammunition, and communication equipment was also seized, the statement added. No IRGC serviceman was killed or injured during the operation.