Iranian authorities have arrested four people on charges of trying to "destroy the country's political and social order" and working "for the benefit" of Israel and the United States during anti-government protests last month.
The arrests were carried out on Sunday and included three prominent reformist politicians, according to Iranian media, Al Jazeera writes, according to Telegraph.
The detainees were identified as Azar Mansouri, head of the Reform Front of Iran, Mohsen Aminzadeh, a former diplomat, and Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, a former parliamentarian. The name of the fourth has not yet been released.
According to Iran's judiciary, the group was behind "organizing and leading extensive activities aimed at disrupting the political and social situation" at a time when the country was facing "military threats" from Israel and the US, according to the official Mizan news agency.
Individuals had done their best "to justify the actions of terrorist soldiers on the streets," she said.
The Reform Front of Iran confirmed the arrests in a statement on X.
He said Mansouri was arrested from "the door of her house by a court order" by intelligence forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
He added that the IRGC has also issued summonses to other senior members, including its deputy chairman, Mohsen Armin, and its secretary, Badral Sadat Mofidi.
The arrests come amid anger in Iran over the deaths of thousands of Iranians during the January unrest.
The protests began in the capital, Tehran, due to a worsening economic crisis, but escalated into a nationwide anti-government movement.
Iranian authorities labeled the protesters as "terrorists" and blamed the "riots" on foreign intervention by Israel and the US.
The government later said that 3,117 people were killed during the unrest and rejected claims by the United Nations and international human rights organizations that state forces were behind the killings, most of which occurred on the nights of January 8 and 9.
Meanwhile, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it has verified 6,854 deaths and is investigating 11,280 other cases.
Thousands more were also arrested during the riots. /Telegrafi/
