Iran's Intelligence Ministry on Thursday said authorities arrested 10 suspects with links to the Islamic State group who had planned attacks at various locations across Iran during Ashoura rallies planned next week, and accused Israel of using the jihadists to attack them.
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Two agents were wounded in shootouts with suspected militants in the country's south and west, the ministry added.
The ministry said the suspects were "sent to carry out several terror operations among the mourners."
Iran is currently commemorating the first 10 days of the Islamic holy month of Muharram, culminating in Ashura on Monday, when worshippers throng mosques and take part in processions.
The intelligence ministry said the men entered from neighboring Iraq and Turkey. The ministry called the men "takfiris" – a term used to refer to Sunni extremists.
"The Zionist criminal regime... this time around, tried to carry out its terrorist operations through takfiri ISIS teams," the statement added, referring to Israel.
Iran claimed the men were sent by Israel after "last week's big failure in the explosion of a sensitive facility" that it blamed on "separatist terrorists."
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Following that failed attack, Iran's intelligence ministry on July 27 said it arrested agents linked to Israel's Mossad spy agency who were also members of an outlawed Kurdish rebel group.
Iran and Israel have been engaged in a years-long shadow war, with the Islamic republic accusing the Jewish state of carrying out sabotage attacks against its nuclear sites and assassinations of key figures, including scientists.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
