TEHRAN – Iran has thwarted the plans of upwards of 1,500 of its nationals allegedly intending to join the Daesh militant group, once again underscoring the threats posed by terrorist groups in the region.  

The news comes two weeks after Tehran announced its security forces had dismantled a Daesh-affiliated cell in Kermanshah province, including commander of Daesh brigade in Mosul Abu Aeshe Kurdi. 
“We spotted and thwarted more than 1,500 young people who intended to join Daesh,” said Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi on Friday. 
He did not give further details. 
Earlier in August, Iranian Army Ground Force Commander Ahmad Pourdastan revealed that Daesh had had recruits from Iran, including a number of people from Qasr-e Shirin, and Naft Shahr, western regions.  
The country, which borders Iraq to its west, has been a safe haven in a region torn apart by terrorism and extremism. 
This is while even some European countries, including France, have been experiencing difficult times over the past months, where hundreds of European citizens lost their lives in terrorist attacks.
In June, Iran announced it had thwarted several planned bombings in Tehran and other cities, in what it called a major plot by Sunni Muslim militants against the country.  
On August 24 in a live TV program, Alavi viewed the country’s unique security as a function of a widespread net of security eyes, where all Iranians play the role of a security agent against suspicious cases in the form of national neighborhood watch.

“160 million eyes are watching the security of the country and until now, the clues and information we have received from the people have proven effective,” he was quoted as having said.  
AK/NA