Tehran yesterday announced that it had thwarted 30 “terrorist” attacks planned by Daesh across the country in recent days, Anadolu news agency reported.

In a statement, the Intelligence Ministry said 28 members of a “terrorist cell” affiliated with Daesh were arrested in different provinces. The arrests were made following a series of raids in Tehran, Alborz and Western Azerbaijan, the statement said.

The ministry said bombings were being planned to mark the first anniversary of the death of 22-year-old Iranian woman of Kurdish descent, Mahsa Amini, who died on 16 September 2022, while in police custody.

This, the ministry added, was an attempt to “undermine security, causing panic and fear in society and incite riots and protests.”

The statement said Daesh’s methods were “more sophisticated” and bore the hallmark of methods attributed to Israel, pointing a finger at Tehran’s arch-foe.

Amini’s death last year sparked massive protests in Iran and drew condemnation as well as sanctions from Western countries, including the US.

In recent weeks, Iranian security agencies reported arrests in several cities across the country, including Tehran for planning protests to mark Amini’s anniversary.

The Intelligence Ministry said the men arrested have a history of association with Daesh terrorists in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq’s Kurdish region.

During the arrest of the terrorists, the statement said, two Iranian intelligence operatives were injured.

Iran has seen two major attacks since last year’s protests, both targeting the popular Shah Cheragh shrine in the southern city of Shiraz. Both attacks were reportedly claimed by Daesh.

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