Iran: IRG’s Intelligence Arrests Ringleaders of Riot Groups 

By Staff, Agencies  

The Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolution Guards [IRG] arrested a number of the ringleaders of counter-revolution groups involved in recent riots in the holy city of Qom and the northwestern province of Ardabil. 

Iran's Tasnim news agency cited the IRG’s Intelligence Organization as saying on Thursday that several heads of a foreign-backed network and its ringleaders, who were active in the cyberspace and played a leading role in carrying out anti-security measures, had been identified and apprehended in Qom. 

“During the recent riots, the members of the network had extensive activities in the field of calling for riots, encouraging to spray slogans, handing out flyers, insulting the clergy and other actions that disturb public security,” the Intelligence Organization said in a statement, adding that further details on the case are soon to be released. 

The IRG’s Intelligence Organization further announced the apprehension of three members of a network affiliated with counterrevolutionary movements in Ardabil. 

The Intelligence Organization said in a statement that the suspects plotted to conduct acts of sabotage against Iran’s national security and destroy government and military facilities with Molotov cocktails and arson attacks. 

“In addition to plotting acts of destruction, the network moved to communicate with counterrevolutionary media, and by creating multiple accounts in social networks took other criminal measures such as disturbing the public mind, disseminating misinformation, mudslinging and directing rioters,” the statement noted.