Iran 'arrests three Mossad spies'

State TV said the trio were passing classified information to Israel

Iran charged three Israeli agents with involvement in releasing classified information. EPA

Iran on Thursday arrested three alleged Mossad spies and charged them with involvement in releasing classified information, state TV reported.

The trio, according to the report, were arrested in the south-east province of Sistan and Baluchistan.

The report did not give any details on the alleged spies or reveal how they had access to classified information.

Iran and Israel have accused each other of spying and waging a shadow war for years.

Israel views Iran as its greatest threat and has repeatedly threatened to take military action against Tehran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies it is seeking such weapons and has vowed a harsh response to any aggression.

Earlier this week, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi warned of a devastating retaliation against Israel if it took action against the Islamic republic.

"You must know that if you try to take any action against the Iranian nation … our armed forces will not leave you in peace," Mr Raisi said, during a military parade to mark National Army Day.

In January, Israel said it had broken up an Iranian spy ring that recruited Israeli women through social media to photograph sensitive sites, gather intelligence and encourage their sons to join Israeli military intelligence.

In July, Iran said it arrested members of an armed group linked to Mossad after they sneaked into Iran across its western border.

Iran occasionally announces the detention of people it says are spying for foreign countries, including the United States and Israel.

In 2020, Iran executed a man convicted of leaking information to the US and Israel about a prominent Islamic Revolutionary Guard general who was later killed by a US drone strike in Iraq.

Iran does not recognise Israel and it supports anti-Israeli armed groups across the region, such as Hezbollah and Hamas.