Iran intelligence arrests alleged Mossad network: State media

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A network of agents allegedly working for the Israeli intelligence (Mossad) was arrested in Iran on Saturday, state media reported, adding that they had entered the country through the Kurdistan Region.

The agents "had been dispatched to Iran to carry out terrorist acts, but they were all identified and arrested before conducting any acts of sabotage," IRNA cited Iran's intelligence ministry as saying.  

Members of the dismantled network were cooperating with Mossad "through one of Iran's neighboring countries" and had entered the country through the Kurdistan Region, the statement added.

The ministry further accused the suspects of intending to carry out terrorist activities "in some sensitive locations and pre-determined targets" but they were arrested while fully equipped with "strong explosive devices" and other communication equipment.

Earlier this month, Iranian security forces arrested numerous infiltrators "affiliated with separatist evildoers" in the country's northwestern West Azerbaijan province, accusing them of intending to carry out attacks on vital infrastructure. 

Israel and Iran are fierce rivals, with Jerusalem considering Tehran its greatest enemy, citing its nuclear program, military activities, and support for hostile militant groups.

Under the pretext of striking an Israeli base, Iran in March fired a dozen ballistic missiles towards the Kurdistan Region's capital of Erbil, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming responsibility for targeting "the strategic center of the Zionist conspiracy and evil by point-to-point missile."

However, a report by the Iraqi parliament's fact-finding committee later said it found no evidence to support the Iranian accusations. 

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which has cordial relations with Tehran, has on several occassions called on neighboring countries to not use the Region's land as an arena to settle scores.