Iran: Plot for 30 Simultaneous Explosions in Tehran Prevented

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    The Facts

    • Authorities in Iran have neutralized 30 bombs and detained 28 terrorists linked to the self-declared Islamic State terrorist group, foiling a plot to target populous areas in the country's capitol city of Tehran with simultaneous explosions across the city.

    • The Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced on Sunday that its forces had attacked several bases and hideouts of terrorists and arrested 28 members affiliated with ISIS in a series of simultaneous operations in Tehran, Alborz, and West Azerbaijan.

    • The ministry also revealed that some of those arrested "are of Islamic State (IS) and the perpetrators have a history of being affiliated with Takfiri groups in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Kurdistan region of Iraq."

    The Spin

    Anti-Israel narrative

    While the suspects arrested in connection with this plot are all affiliated with the ISIS terrorist organization, the technical design of the plot – as well as the behavioral pattern of the suspects – is more technically complicated and sophisticated than conventional Takfiri currents, suggesting that this may be tied to Israel's regime.

    Pro-Israel narrative

    This plot was obviously the work of the Islamic State, and to blame Israel is ridiculous. IS has already taken responsibility for several attacks in Iran in recent years and, as a Shia Muslim country, Iran is a top target of ISIS.

    Metaculus Prediction

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