Iranian authorities have launched a widespread internal security crackdown, including mass arrests and executions, following the start of Israel's airstrikes on 13 June, according to officials and activists. The crackdown has been particularly intense in the Kurdish region, where Revolutionary Guard and Basij units have been deployed.
The Iranian rights group HRNA reported 705 arrests on political or security charges since the conflict began, with many accused of spying for Israel. Three individuals were executed in Urmia on Tuesday, all of whom were Kurdish, according to the Kurdish rights group Hengaw.
A senior Iranian security official stated that internal security is now the primary focus, with authorities concerned about potential unrest from Israeli agents, ethnic separatists, and the exiled opposition group MEK. The official noted that troops have been deployed to borders with Pakistan, Iraq, and Azerbaijan to prevent infiltration.
Kurdish opposition groups reported widespread military and security movements. Ribaz Khalili of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan said Revolutionary Guard units conducted house-to-house searches in Kurdish provinces. A cadre from the Free Life Party of Kurdistan claimed over 500 opposition members have been detained in Kurdish areas since the airstrikes began.
Checkpoints have been set up across Kurdish regions, with physical searches and checks of phones and documents. While some Iranians have expressed anger at the government, no significant protests have emerged. A rights activist in Tehran noted that authorities are using the situation as a pretext to suppress dissent.
