21,000 Arrested in Iran During 12-Day Conflict, Police Say
Iran police announced 21,000 arrests and foiled plots during a 12-day war, according to a Mehr News report. The spokesperson for Iran's police cited a drop in crime, cyber crackdowns, and the thwarting of an Evin prison break, attributing success to public cooperation.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Deputy head of the Iranian police's counterterrorism unit and Iran's police spokesperson has announced that security forces arrested 21,000 suspects based on public reports and neutralized enemy plots during a recent 12-day war, in a sweeping security update published by the IRGC-affiliated Mehr News Agency. In the statement, Brigadier General Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi detailed the performance of various specialized police units, portraying a high level of control and public cooperation during what he described as a sensitive period of conflict.
According to the report from Mehr News, Montazer al-Mahdi highlighted the role of cyberspace as a major front in the battle. He stated that the FATA Police, or Cyber Police, played an effective role by handling over 5,700 cybercrime cases, including online fraud and unauthorized financial withdrawals.
He noted a swift investigation into a cyberattack on the Nobitex currency exchange and, emphasizing the fight against online gambling, added that 305 operators of betting websites were identified, leading to a case valued at 340 billion Rials.
The spokesperson also said that the security of the national university entrance exam was maintained even under wartime conditions, with the FATA Police identifying 106 suspects and 158 criminal websites related to the event.
The police spokesperson went on to report significant success in combating traditional crime.
He said the Criminal Investigation Police (Agahi) in Tehran controlled "the geography of crime" by dispatching 30 operational patrol units nightly.
This resulted in a reported 15.5% decrease in thefts, while the clearance rate for such crimes increased by 48.8%. Montazer al-Mahdi added that violent crimes saw a reduction of more than 20%, with their clearance rate rising to 85.9%, and he reported a 23.3% decrease in homicides, stating that the clearance rate for murder cases remains above 90%.
The statement also detailed specific public security operations.
Montazer al-Mahdi said the Public Security Police arrested 30 "thugs and hooligans" and identified 147 of their associated social media pages.
He highlighted what he termed an "outstanding success" in neutralizing a plot for a gathering in Palestine Square through timely coordination.
Regarding a security incident at Evin Prison, the spokesperson emphasized that the Northern Security Unit was on the scene in less than five minutes and succeeded in arresting 127 escaped prisoners. He added that unexploded bombs were identified at the scene and more than 15 injured individuals were transferred to the hospital.
On national security matters, Montazer al-Mahdi stated that law enforcement forces rounded up 2,774 unauthorized foreign nationals, and an examination of their phones led to the discovery of 30 special security cases.
Furthermore, he reported the arrest of 261 suspects of espionage and another 172 individuals accused of unauthorized filming. To maintain general order, he said that more than 40,000 police officers worked around the clock on road safety and that over 1,000 tactical checkpoints were established nationwide.
He concluded by emphasizing that the arrest of 21,000 suspects and a 41% increase in public calls to the police demonstrate a high level of public vigilance and participation, and that the country's security is guaranteed "with strength and authority."
