TEHRAN -- Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said on Sunday its forces have killed or arrested members of three operational cells linked to terrorist groups serving the United States and Israel, in a series of preemptive operations across three provinces.
The ministry said the operatives planned assassinations and attacks on economic infrastructure. It credited the country’s anonymous soldiers and public tip-offs with foiling the plots.
In the first case, the ministry said an operative of a separatist terrorist group was killed in a clash with security forces in the northwestern city of Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan province. 
According to the account, the man was preparing to assassinate a security commander and was ambushed by intelligence officers before he could carry out the mission.
In the second case, authorities in Alborz province arrested a man identified as “Amir Ali N.,” described as a mercenary working under the direction of a monarchist group affiliated with Israeli intelligence. 
The ministry said he had sent the enemy the identities of targets and details of IRGC and Basij military sites. Planned terrorist acts included destroying a Basij base, carrying out kidnappings and assaults, and setting vehicles on fire, all of which were prevented before execution, the report said.
In the third case, the Kerman province intelligence directorate identified and arrested a two-member cell that had been tasked with bombing a key infrastructure facility in the city of Bam, the ministry said. The cell had also been ordered to prepare for further armed and terrorist operations, it added.