TEHRAN – Iran’s Police Chief Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Radan announced Sunday that law enforcement forces have begun arresting individuals whose incitement of violence—carried out under the direction of foreign spy agencies—has become clear.

His statement follows the unprecedented admission by Israeli and American officials of their intent to exploit the situation, further alienating the Iranian public. What originated as peaceful protests over currency depreciation has been overshadowed by the operations of armed cells, which have killed security personnel, undermined public security, and attacked or murdered civilians who opposed their actions.

Radan’s remarks to Iranian national TV, however, appeared to not be about those who have been taking part in deadly and destructive activities, mainly in Iran’s western provinces, but those that have received money from foreign spy agencies to intentionally create tension between protesters and security forces. 
 
“Over the past two nights, targeted arrests have begun of ringleaders who were inciting the public both online and at street gatherings,” he explained. Radan said the peaceful protests initiated by Iranian bazaaries last month were targeted by the enemy the very next day. “A number of these individuals have been identified and arrested, and some have confessed during interrogation to receiving U.S. dollars from abroad in exchange for their actions.”

In Esfahan, police arrested two teenage girls who admitted to receiving funds from an individual based in Germany with the aim of provoking security forces. “We were instructed to stand near the officers, smoke cigarettes, and blow smoke toward them. If they did not respond, we were to begin insulting them,” explained one of the teenagers, whose face was blurred by IRIB in the broadcast.

Such incidents, in which young people are induced with foreign money to create disorder, are often treated as less severe offenses. Judicial authorities consider the defendants’ youth and incomplete understanding of the weight of their actions as mitigating factors, even when involvement with a foreign agent is established. In these cases, close collaboration between parents and law enforcement typically ensures the teenagers avoid placement in a juvenile detention center.

This leniency, however, appears to be a primary reason why foreign intelligence agencies target teenagers. Phones seized from some of the arrested youths contained videos of a woman instructing them on how to behave if apprehended.

“At worst, you will receive ten days of detention,” says the woman, who speaks in Persian. She wears a shirt that seems to express support for the deposed Shah’s son, who resides in the United States. Persian-language media outlets based in the West have vigorously promoted him as an alternative to the Islamic Republic, particularly since he strongly endorsed the U.S.-Israeli war imposed on Iran this past June.

In the video, she tells the targeted teenagers not to consider arrest as “the end of the line.”

“If they attempt to link you to individuals outside the country, or allege that your confessions were coached, deny it immediately. Say that you despise the traitorous expatriates whose true loyalties were revealed during the 12-day war. If they mention any names, insist you have never heard of them,” the woman instructs. Her identity and location have not yet been disclosed by authorities.

Israeli and American politicians have openly acknowledged deploying "agents" within Iran to assist protesters in their pursuit of "freedom." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the latest official to comment on the situation, stating during a cabinet meeting on Sunday that perhaps "this is the very moment" the people of Iran "take control of their own destiny."

Netanyahu had issued similar remarks at the outset of his war against Iran last year, a 12-day aggression that targeted civilian, nuclear, and military infrastructure and resulted in approximately 1,100 Iranian casualties, predominantly civilians, including many women and children. In a video message at that time, the Israeli Prime Minister called on the Iranian people to rise up against their government as he bombed their country, framing the action as a path to "freedom."

Also on Sunday, Gilad Erdan, Israel's former representative to the United Nations, stated live on Israel's Channel 12 that "Mossad and the CIA have plans for the protests in Iran and are arming the rebels. They know what to do."

In addition to recruiting teenagers who may be in financial need, Israel and the U.S. are also active in arming and supporting small violent cells. Since last Monday, these groups have killed at least three security personnel and one civilian, while assaulting multiple citizens who opposed their vandalism. They have published footage of these acts to instil fear among the population. Unsuccessful armed ambushes have been carried out against military sites, police stations, and government buildings, primarily in western border provinces and in two instances in Qom. Public property, banks, private businesses, and random cars and buses have also been set on fire.

Iranian security forces initially exercised notable restraint, even toward armed individuals, during the early days of the unrest. Their approach, however, is expected to have changed following a directive on Saturday from the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. He instructed authorities to engage with protesters and listen to their grievances, while firmly ensuring to "put rioters in their place."

Meanwhile, the rapid devaluation of the Rial has been stemmed since Tuesday, following the replacement of the head of Iran's Central Bank. Government officials have held multiple rounds of talks with unions in Iran's bazaars, and President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that he and his team are preparing to introduce new measures to alleviate economic hardships. Bazaars across Iran, the country's primary economic hubs, have largely resumed their normal activities. Concurrently, the United States has introduced a fresh set of sanctions in recent days, continuing its so-called "maximum pressure" campaign, which has been straddling Iran's economy and burdening ordinary citizens since 2018.