According to reporting carried by state-affiliated media, including Fars News Agency, the ministry said the detainees were accused of planning disruptive activities and acting under foreign direction. Authorities also claimed that weapons and explosive materials were seized during coordinated operations.

Officials further stated that five armed groups described as "mercenary cells” were dismantled in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan Province. The reported seizures included improvised explosive devices, Kalashnikov-style rifles, and unspecified quantities of ammunition.

In a separate development reported by Iranian media on the same day, police authorities in Alborz Province said 41 additional individuals were detained for allegedly sharing video content with foreign-based opposition media outlets.

Iran’s judiciary-affiliated news platform, Mizan Online, also reported that three individuals were executed earlier in the day after being convicted of killing police officers and conducting operations on behalf of foreign governments during unrest earlier this year.

Non-uniformed security personnel were reported to have been deployed as part of the broader operations. These plainclothes forces are typically assigned to surveillance, identification of suspects, and coordination with uniformed units at checkpoints and public areas, operating discreetly within urban environments while assisting in targeted detentions.

Observers note that such units often work alongside uniformed officers in coordinated sweeps across cities and sensitive locations, enabling closer monitoring of activity and rapid response during large-scale security operations.

Sources said that strikes attributed to the United States and Israel against Iran began on February 28, with reports over the past two days indicating that some operations involved misleading or unconfirmed targets, while several suspected operatives remain in detention and others are facing increased pressure amid ongoing security operations.

Iranian officials, as reported in state-affiliated media, have also alleged that these strikes caused damage to civilian infrastructure and public facilities inside Iran, including centers and recreational sites such as football stadiums, and resulted in civilian casualties.

While Iranian authorities have presented the arrests as part of counter-espionage and internal security operations, the scale and pace of detentions have drawn attention to the country’s ongoing domestic security posture amid heightened regional tensions. 

A Tehran-based shopkeeper, who declined to be named, described a noticeable increase in security presence in parts of the capital in recent days. "There are more checkpoints and patrols than usual,” the resident said. "People are cautious, and some avoid discussing politics openly.”

Security analysts say such operations typically reflect heightened vigilance by Iranian authorities during periods of regional instability, particularly when relations with Israel and the United States are strained. The coordinated nature of the reported arrests suggests an emphasis on disrupting potential networks rather than isolated incidents.

The announcements come against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical friction involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, with Iranian officials frequently alleging foreign-backed attempts to destabilize the country.