Mizan Online reported that Pedram Madani was convicted of spying for the "Zionist regime". Following his arrest, a comprehensive legal process culminated in the Supreme Court affirming his death sentence, which was promptly carried out.

Madani allegedly passed classified data to Mossad agents. The judiciary claimed he held clandestine meetings with Israeli operatives in Brussels and other international locations.

"After identification, arrest, and judicial proceedings against Pedram Madani, who was spying in favour of the Zionist regime, and following the complete process of criminal procedure and the final confirmation and upholding of the verdict by the Supreme Court, he was brought to justice and executed," the judiciary's Mizan Online reported.

Iran alleged that Madani's traveled to Israel between 2020–2021 before his apprehension. The judiciary also convicted Madani of accumulating "illicit wealth" through euros and bitcoin payments from Israel. These transactions supposedly underscored his alleged ties to Mossad.

Madani faced charges of waging war against God and "corruption on earth," resulting in his execution for "espionage on behalf of the Zionist regime's intelligence service (Mossad)." The judiciary portrayed his actions as a grave threat to Iran's national security. In April, Iran executed Mohsen Langarneshin for his alleged role in the 2022 assassination of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, supposedly on orders from the Mossad.

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The recent exposure of eight Iranian spy networks operating within Israel should provoke more than just shock at Iran's intelligence capabilities. What's truly alarming is the marginal yet disturbing phenomenon of Jews who, in times of war, ally themselves with an enemy openly seeking to destroy their people and state.

Before delving into the salacious details of these Iranian espionage cases, we must ask: Where does this poison spring from? What psychological makeup leads these individuals to betray their people and homeland? What crucial "vaccination" did their parents skip? What went wrong in their upbringing? In what soil did these weeds grow?

The astonishment deepens when examining the profiles of these spies and their predecessors: young and old, ultra-Orthodox and secular, educated and unschooled, immigrants from the former USSR and native-born Israelis. They represent a complete spectrum, typically motivated by greed, though sometimes by ego, feelings of discrimination, and weakened ties to the state.

These questions become even more pressing when contrasting their actions with the countless extraordinary displays of commitment, dedication, and sacrifice for the nation over the past year: wounded soldiers recovering only to return to the battlefield; fathers of eight and ten children, and grandfathers, rushing to serve on the frontlines and giving their lives for our sake; people whose businesses are collapsing and losing substantial income, yet serving in the reserves for three, four, or five rotations; these "peculiar" individuals who won't give up this privilege at any cost, even if they feel the state has wronged them. They understand that this country we returned to after 2,000 years of exile, and our collective Jewish existence here, transcend any flaw, defect, or imperfection.

In stark contrast to these spies' treachery, we witness exemplary figures like Cpt. (res.) Rabbi Avi Goldberg, Maj. (res.) Shaul Moyal, Maj. (res.) Aviram Hariv, and grandfather Warrant Officer (res.) Elon Weiss, who dedicated their lives to education and building bridges within Israeli society, leaving behind 31 orphans. We also see civilian heroes like Omer Weinstein, salt of the earth, who fell defending his plow in Metula, embodying Trumpeldor's saying: "Wherever the Jewish plow plows its last furrow, that is where the border will run." Through their lives and deaths, they wrote what young Sgt. First Class Ben Zussman penned moments before falling in Gaza, "I left home without even being called up for reserve duty. I'm filled with pride and sense of mission, and I always said if I had to die, I hope it would be defending others and the state. Jerusalem, I have appointed guardians, and one day I will be among them."

"A Parent's Table"

How is it that the same country that produces heroic women like Sarit Zussman, Ben's mother, or Laly Derai, Saadia's mother – both fallen in Gaza – where one promises at her son's funeral that the people of Israel will live forever and clarifies that "it's either us or them," and the other testifies that she never knew anyone like Saadia, in whom the collective and individual dimensions were so unified – how does this same country produce degenerates like Moti Maman and his fellow spies, Jews from Haifa, Lod, Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan, and Petah Tikva? How do we reconcile this desecration with countless displays of sanctification, of those who face hardship and danger saying "Here I am"? What are we missing?

Jeremiah's prophecy about Rachel's children returning to their borders is so relevant today – we weep for our fallen sons, but know they enable the continuation of the prophecy and miracle realized here, the miracle of "children shall return to their borders"; that there is hope for our future, and that our kidnapped sons and daughters will yet return to their territory.

The answer isn't complicated. It lies in the Jewish element about which Alterman wrote many years ago, A Jew can indeed be unlearned or educated, clever or foolish, and can be your enemy or friend... inferior or superior, but he cannot be Jewish without a Jewish core.

In other words: One cannot truly feel Imber's "Jewish soul yearning" without foundations of Torah, of "love thy neighbor as thyself" – which Hillel the Elder said encompasses the entire Torah while standing on one foot – or "Hear O Israel," which commanders finally recite with their soldiers without shame or apology before battle, along with Jewish holidays, festivals, and symbols.

When these foundations (and others), which aren't "religious coercion" but part of Jewish DNA, are absent from "the parent's table" – an expression my grandfather used in the 1970s in an essay written after the capture of spy Udi Adiv – then our garden grows such wild weeds. Our history didn't begin in 1948, and our dialogue with the world and our enemies, but primarily with ourselves, cannot rely solely on security and interests. Long before that, it's a discourse about rights, heritage, and Jewish justice.

"A Voice is Heard in Ramah"

An opportunity to collectively feel this "Jewish core" will present itself in the coming days. Tuesday, the 11th of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, marks according to Jewish tradition the anniversary of Rachel's death. While this day means nothing to many, others commemorate it. We should all familiarize ourselves with the notably relevant consolation prophecy of Jeremiah, the prophet of destruction, who was the first to portray Rachel as a mother shedding tears for her children; the first to describe her weeping, which pierces the gates of heaven, paving the way for the ingathering of exiles and the return of children to their borders.

"A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping. Rachel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted. Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: For thy work shall be rewarded. And there is hope in thine end. Thy children shall return to their border."

These ancient words, which inspired beautiful interpretations, are so relevant today – we weep for our fallen sons, but know they enable the continued fulfillment of the prophecy and miracle realized here, the miracle of "children returning to their borders"; that there is hope for our future, and that our kidnapped sons and daughters will yet return to their territory.

Those who still find it difficult to connect with this ancient text are invited to do so through the wonderful melody for these verses performed by the London School of Jewish Song, conducted by composer and conductor Yigal Calek, who passed away last Sukkot, or through Shmuel Rosen's special and familiar song "Re'i Rachel Re'i" written after the Six-Day War.

Another Rachel, Rachel Yanait Ben-Zvi, another exemplary figure from the state's early days whom our generation knows too little about, was passionate about Rachel the Matriarch and expressed this in her writings. Max Nordau, Herzl's right-hand man, once told of the Orthodox child who inspired him to incorporate the story of Rachel's tears in his speech at the First Zionist Congress. Zionism, Nordau discovered, is a branch of Judaism. Rachel, her story, the interpretations, songs, and legends woven around her figure, are excellent material for bridging gaps between different segments of Israeli society, and also one component in the Jewish color and serum that will minimize the number of spies and traitors among us. For Rachel's blood flows in our blood, as yet another Rachel – the poetess Rachel Bluwstein – put it.

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Authorities have uncovered an Iranian espionage operation involving a married couple from central Israel who allegedly tracked sensitive security installations and conducted surveillance of a prominent defense researcher. The suspects, both 32, were arrested following an investigation that revealed direct contact with an Iranian intelligence operative. Prosecutors are preparing to file serious charges on Thursday.

A joint operation by the Shin Bet security agency and police led to the arrest of Rafael and Lala Guliyev of Lod. The investigation revealed that Rafael Guliyev was recruited by Elshan (Elkhan) Agayev, 56, an Azerbaijani-born operator working for Iranian intelligence, as part of a network targeting Israeli citizens of Caucasus origin.

Under Agayev's direction, Guliyev conducted surveillance of several high-security locations, including Mossad headquarters, and gathered intelligence about a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) whom Iranian operatives had marked for targeting. Guliyev was also tasked with recruiting a potential hit man, with his wife Lala allegedly assisting in several operations.

"These arrests are part of a broader pattern we've uncovered in recent weeks," a senior Shin Bet official said. "We've detained multiple Israeli citizens who were carrying out missions for Iranian intelligence. These cases repeatedly demonstrate Iran's persistent efforts to recruit Israeli citizens for espionage and terror operations within Israel."

A high-ranking police official emphasized that law enforcement agencies would maintain their round-the-clock vigilance. "We will show zero tolerance toward those who collaborate with hostile entities and endanger our citizens and state," the official stated.

In response to the investigation, INSS released a statement, saying, "The Institute for National Security Studies expresses its profound gratitude to the Shin Bet security agency for preventing the planned operation against our staff member."

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In recent years, Israel has faced an increasing number of espionage attempts orchestrated by Iranian intelligence services, ranging from social media manipulation to the recruitment of Israeli citizens.

Most recently, 30-year-old Vladislav Viktorson, from Ramat Gan, was detained for questioning in connection with alleged espionage activities conducted with his partner, Anna Bernstein. The investigation reveals that Viktorson was reportedly tasked with sabotaging communication infrastructure and ATMs, as well as setting forests ablaze, for a sum of approximately $5,000. Investigators claim Viktorson even agreed to carry out an assassination of a high-profile figure in Israel and to lob a grenade at a residence. The probe uncovered that since last August, Viktorson had been in contact via social media with an individual using the name "Mari Hossi." Their exchanges were conducted in Hebrew.

As part of this connection, Viktorson allegedly performed various tasks under the guidance of the Iranian operative, fully aware of their identity. These tasks included graffiti, poster hanging, money planting, and even torching vehicles in Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park area.

Subsequently, Viktorson was reportedly instructed to sabotage communication infrastructure and ATMs, and to ignite forest fires. Some of these missions were documented, with payments exceeding $5,000 received for their execution. The investigation also suggests that Viktorson worked to procure weapons, including a sniper rifle, pistols, and fragmentation grenades.

Bernstein, an 18-year-old Ramat Gan resident, who works as a model, allegedly participated in some of the missions.

In a separate case, Moti Maman, a 72-year-old Ashkelon resident, was apprehended in August 2024 in a joint operation by the Shin Bet security agency and Israel Police. He faces serious espionage charges. The indictment reveals that Maman had a criminal history, including five previous convictions for various offenses such as extortion and tax evasion, with his most recent conviction in 2013. According to the charges, the Israeli-Jewish businessman, who had resided in Turkey for an extended period, was recruited by Iranian intelligence agents. He allegedly agreed – through Turkish intermediaries – to meet with an Iran-based businessman, ostensibly to promote business activities.

For this purpose, Maman traveled to Samangad, Turkey, where he met with two representatives sent on the businessman's behalf. The three held a phone conversation with the businessman, who was unable to leave Iran. The indictment charges Maman with offenses against state security, including contact with a foreign agent and entering an enemy state without authorization.

Similarly, last July, the Shin Bet and the Israel Police's Unit of International Crime Investigations, known in Hebrew by its acronym Yahbal, arrested three Israeli citizens. They were suspected of planting money-filled packages and hanging posters in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv under the direction of Iranian intelligence agents. The Shin Bet and Yahbal investigation exposed a network of Iranian intelligence operatives who, disguised as foreign entities, approached Israeli citizens to recruit and deploy them for missions within Israel. One of the citizens faces charges of contact with a foreign agent.

Elimelech Stern, a 21-year-old Vizhnitz Hassid from Beit Shemesh, was suspected of communicating with a Telegram profile named "ANNA ELENA". Iranian operatives allegedly tasked him with various missions, such as hanging posters in Tel Aviv, planting money at different locations in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, setting a forest on fire, and delivering packages containing a severed animal head or doll (along with a knife and threatening message) to be placed at Israeli citizens' doorsteps. The investigation revealed that Stern agreed to most tasks, excluding murder and forest arson. To accomplish the poster hanging, money planting, and package deliveries, he recruited two other Israeli citizens, who carried out some of the missions for financial compensation. Stern received cryptocurrency payments from ANNA ELENA for completing the tasks.

In 2022, a complex case of Iranian attempts to recruit spies from among Iranian expatriates in Israel came to light. The operation used a fake Facebook account under the name "Rambod Namdar," posing as an Iranian Jew interested in immigrating to Israel. The account contacted dozens of people, mainly Jewish women of Iranian descent, building trust through lengthy conversations. Gradually, "Rambod" requested various tasks, including photographing Israeli sites and transferring money. In November 2021, five suspects were arrested and brought to trial in the Jerusalem District Court. The case shocked Israel's Persian community and exposed Iran's sophisticated methods for infiltrating Israeli systems. However, during the trial, most defendants were acquitted, with only one convicted of contact with a foreign agent.

In 2018, Gonen Segev, a former energy ministry,  was arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran. Segev, who served as a minister in Israel during the 1990s, was convicted of severe espionage and providing information to the enemy. Recruited by the Iranian embassy in Nigeria, he provided information on strategic facilities, the security system, and Israeli officials. Segev was ultimately sentenced to 11 years in prison as part of a plea bargain. The Shin Bet stated that Segev, who resided in Nigeria, was transferred to Israel from Equatorial Guinea in May 2018 after being denied entry due to his criminal record. He was immediately arrested upon arrival in Israel. The investigation revealed that Segev had been recruited by Iranian intelligence in 2012, meeting his handlers in Iran and various locations worldwide. He passed information related to Israel's energy sector, security sites, and political and security officials. Segev also attempted to connect Israeli citizens to Iranian intelligence agents under the guise of business opportunities.

In 1997, Nahum Manbar, an Israeli businessman, was arrested on suspicion of maintaining connections with Iran. Manbar was convicted of aiding the enemy after selling secrets about nerve gas production to Iran.

And perhaps most shockingly, in November 2021, Omri Goren, an Israeli citizen employed at Defense Minister Benny Gantz's residence, was charged with espionage. The investigation revealed that Goren, on his own initiative, contacted a figure associated with Iran through social media shortly before his arrest. He offered assistance in various ways, leveraging his access to the minister's house. Among other things, he proposed to the representative of the Iranian-associated hacking group Black Shadow that he could plant malware on the minister's computer via a USB device in exchange for financial compensation.

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was freed from a British prison on Tuesday and is expected to admit guilt to violating US espionage law. This plea agreement could pave the way for his return to his home country of Australia.

Court documents filed in the US district court for the Northern Mariana Islands indicate that Assange has agreed to plead guilty to one charge. The Guardian reported that a plane believed to be carrying Assange landed in Bangkok shortly after 1 p.m. local time, ahead of a plea deal hearing in the Northern Mariana Islands.

Julian is free!!!!

Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU- yes YOU, who have all mobilised for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. tHANK YOU. THANK YOU.

Follow @WikiLeaks for more info soon…pic.twitter.com/gW4UWCKP44

— Stella Assange #FreeAssangeNOW (@Stella_Assange) June 25, 2024

WikiLeaks shared footage on social media showing Assange boarding a flight at London's Stansted airport on Monday evening. The organization stated that Assange departed Belmarsh prison earlier that day, with Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands as his likely destination.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Assange's departure from the UK, stating, "The case had dragged on for too long." Albanese added that Australia's high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, is accompanying Assange.

Assange's wife, Stella, announced on X that he was free and expressed gratitude to his supporters, saying, "Words cannot express our immense gratitude." His mother, Christine, welcomed the news, stating, "I am grateful my son's ordeal is finally coming to an end."

The plea agreement, which requires judicial approval, may credit Assange for the five years he has already served, potentially resulting in no additional jail time. The Guardian reported that a senior justice department official explained in a letter to a federal judge that Assange was being sent to Saipan due to its "proximity to the defendant's country of citizenship."

Some experts have voiced concerns about the implications of Assange's conviction, even on a single count. Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, cautioned that the outcome could "cast a long shadow over the most important kinds of journalism, not just in this country but around the world."

Former US Vice President Mike Pence criticized the plea deal on Twitter, describing it as a "miscarriage of justice" that "dishonors the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our Armed Forces."

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An investigation into a major security breach at the home of Defense Minister Benny Gantz, which involved a cleaner at Gantz's home who had not been vetted by the Shin Bet security agency being indicted for allegedly offering to spy for Iran, has ended with a written reprimand for two high-ranking Shin Bet officials, the agency announced Tuesday evening.

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Shin Bet head Ronen Bar appointed an external committee to probe how suspect Omri Goren – who had multiple criminal convictions – would have been employed at Gantz's home. The committee was comprised of three retired Shin Bet officials, including two former department heads and a former division leader.

The committee submitted its findings to Bar along with recommendations for action to be taken. The committee described the affair as a "professional failure," citing lack of coordination at the professional level and a lack of coordination in "work procedures."

On the basis of the investigation's findings, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar decided to issue a written reprimand to two senior officials in the organization.

Meanwhile, the Shin Bet has evaluated security arrangements for the individuals for whom it is responsible and tightened background checks and testing procedures for anyone employed in "close circles" of officials who are provided with Shin Bet security.

Bar also issued instructions to add additional levels of intelligence and operational security when it comes to the officials it secures.

However, Bar did praise the rapid action taken to locate and arrest Goren within 48 hours of the time he allegedly contacted a hostile entity.

"Despite the success in thwarting [the plot], we failed to prevent it," Bar said. "If the process had worked, a person like this would never have been working near a protectee. The failure that took place in this isolated incident allowed us to take an in-depth look at the processes and mechanisms involving the issue of those employed close to protectees.

"The probe gave us a chance to examine professional work processes in the service. The conclusions of the investigative committee, as well as an in-depth process of learning lessons, have already been translated into actions on the ground that will significantly reduce the chance of incidents like this happening again," Bar said.

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Omri Goren, a cleaner formerly employed at the home of Defense Minister Benny Gantz, allegedly offered to spy on Gantz for the Iranians for a mere $7,000.

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Goren, 37, supposedly told the Iranian-affiliated hacker group Black Shadow that he would install a "worm" on Gantz's computer. According to prosecutors, after a representative of the group voiced doubt about Goren's capabilities, the cleaner photographed Gantz's desk, his computers, his telephone, some packaging on which the computer's IP address appeared, and Gantz's city tax bill.

As revealed by Israel Hayom, Goren and his wife were the owners of a cleaning services company. Some of their other clients reported that the couple were clearly in financial distress.

The would-be espionage comprises a failure on the part of the Shin Bet, whose agents did not conduct a security background check on the Gorens before they were allowed into Gantz's home to clean.

It would have taken a mere Google search to discover that Goren was a criminal who had been convicted in 14 different cases, on charges that included armed robbery, breaking and entering, and theft.

The Shin Bet has accepted responsibility for the incident and reported that it had not resulted in any harm to national security or defense. The agency said it was drawing immediate conclusions, although it was not clear whether any individuals involved would be held personally accountable.

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Turkish media outlets on Thursday reported 15 individuals suspected of spying for Israel were arrested as part of a massive operation by local security forces and Turkish police. According to local reports, 200 members of the Turkish security forces took part in the series of raids in which five different alleged espionage cells, each numbering three people, were apprehended.

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According to the Daily Sabah, the operation was carried out on Oct. 7, following a year in which intelligence information was collected on the agents' activities.

While reports in Turkish media did not reveal which country the alleged spies came from, they did note their Middle Eastern appearance. According to the reports, the agents transferred classified information and documents to the Mossad – Israel's national intelligence agency.

According to the Anadolu news agency, "the network relied on Palestinian and Syrian nationals living in Turkey, who received payments through wire transfers and couriers."

The suspects were allegedly spying on senior Hamas officials based in Turkey, as well as on several foreign exchange students.

Anadolu noted that the suspects were arreigned and then transferred to the Maltepe maximum-security prison in Istanbul.​​​​​​​

Three weeks ago, the Palestinian Authority expressed concern over the disappearance of seven Palestinians in the Turkish cities of Istanbul and Konya, as well as in the Turkish-Greek border area. Three of the Palestinians were residents of the Gaza Strip and four others were from the West Bank.

Last year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government bolstered its already close relationship with the Hamas terrorist group by granting Turkish citizenship to senior Hamas members, Britain's The Telegraph reported. The move would allow them to travel freely and enable them to plot terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets across the globe.

According to the report, seven of 12 Hamas operatives who use Turkey as their base of operations have received Turkish citizenship, as well as passports, while another five are in the process of receiving them. In some cases, the Hamas terrorists are living under Turkish aliases.

"These are not foot soldiers but the most senior Hamas operatives outside of Gaza. [They] are actively raising funds and directing operatives to carry out attacks in the present day," a senior source in the region told The Telegraph.

"The Turkish Government gave in to pressure by Hamas to grant citizenship to its operatives, thereby allowing them to travel more freely, endangering other countries that have listed Hamas as a terror group," the source added.

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Madhat al-Saleh, who was killed in Quneitra on Saturday night while on his way home in an action that foreign media outlets attributed to Israel, will be laid to rest in Syria, and most likely buried near his home in the village of Ein Tina, social media in Lebanon and Druze media outlets operating in the Syrian Golan Heights were reported late Tuesday.

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The reports also said that al-Saleh's family, most of whom live in Majdal Shams – a village on the southern foothills of Mount Hermon on the Israeli Golan – will hold a memorial service for him there.

Media outlets in Arab countries, as well as Syrian and Lebanese media, provided little coverage of the targeted killing, but various reports out of Lebanon and from Syrian intelligence services in Damascus assessed that al-Saleh, who had been under Israeli surveillance, was targeted by an elite IDF unit that had penetrated deep into Syrian territory adjacent to Majdal Shams and then split into three teams of snipers. Once in position, the reports said, the snipers waited for al-Saleh, who was driving home to his village in Quneitra. When his car approached the sniper ambush, the snipers reported fired at him from a distance of about 200 meters (approximately 650 feet). The first bullet hit al-Saleh in the lower back and the second, fatal, bullet hit him in the chest. He died on the scene.

According to Lebanese sources, after determining that al-Saleh was dead, the snipers left their posts and returned to Israel, taking care to remove any signs of their presence.

Social media accounts of Lebanese officials involved in the event quoted various officials from the Golan Druze, who said that al-Saleh knew that his cooperation with Tehran and members of Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Syrian Golan, who are working to establish terrorist infrastructure to attack Israel, could turn out to be a double-edged sword.

The Damascus regime did not care for, to say the least, al-Saleh's involvement in attempts by Hezbollah and pro-Iranian militias in southern Syria to build terrorist infrastructure and attack Israel. As the Assad regime attempts to stabilize its control of southern Syria after the country's bloody years-long war, Damascus wants to keep the Syrian-Israeli border stable and quiet. In addition to al-Saleh being out of favor with the Assad regime, sources in Majdal Shams said that he was deep in debt after the war stopped apple exports by Druze farmers in the Syrian Golan.

While a member of Syria's parliament and the official representative of the Druze people in the Syrian government, al-Saleh held the Golan Heights portfolio. Over the years, he garnered massive benefits from the export of apples grown on the Syrian Golan. When the border crossings with Israel were closed, he suffered heavy financial losses, which led to complications with his ties with Syrian government officials as well as Syrian intelligence officials in southern Syria and earned him several enemies.

A resident of a Druze village in the Golan who is close to al-Saleh's family in Majdal Shams spoke to Israel Hayom and said, "Al-Saleh's fall began back in 2005. President Assad, who was close to him, distanced himself and he was also thrown out of parliament."

According to the Druze source, "Al-Saleh made a lot of money but the civil war stopped everything all of a sudden and he was in debt, and apparently that caused him to form ties with Iran. He apparently thought that the Iranians would put him back in positions of influence in Damascus and would line his pockets with money, and to all that you have to add his hatred for Israel.

"I don't think that anyone in Damascus is weeping over the assassination of Madhat al-Saleh," the source said.

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Iranian Border Guards' Commander Ahmed Ali Goudarzi criticized the Azeri government in an interview with a local media outlet, Thursday.

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"Our country's borders are particularly secure in the north and northwest, and there is no cause for concern," Goudarzi said. "We have warned our neighbors to the north against the presence of hostile entities on our northern borders."

"Israel is active in countries on our northwestern borders but, unfortunately, it is now more active in Azerbaijan."

The commander said the Israeli intelligence agents "are completely under observation. They are completely under the intelligence bombardment of the Islamic Republic."

Iran has "full control" over their activities," Goudarzi said.

The reference to "countries on our northwestern borders" could point not only to Israeli intelligence ties to Azerbaijan but Turkey as well.

In December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying: "Our intelligence ties with Israel are ongoing. We have difficulties in managing ties with people in senior leadership roles. The ties would be very different were it not for trouble with those at the top," he said.

Growing tensions in the South Caucusus in recent weeks have had an impact on Iran-Turkey ties. Among other things, a border crossing was closed to Iranian trucks as Tehran accused Ankara of stationing troops in the Azeri city of Horadiz, near the countries' shared border.

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