Iran dismantles 'Islamic State cell'

Officials in Tehran claimed on Friday that Iranian security services have dismantled an IS-linked cell planning atrocities inside the country.

MENA

1 min read

Farah al-Zaman Shawki

29 May, 2015

Iran says it will deal with any IS threat immediatey and decisively [Getty]

Iranian Minister of Intelligence Mahmoud Alavi claimed Friday that the authorities have tracked a cell associated with Islamic state [IS] that was planning terrorist attacks inside Iran, the official news agency Fars quoted him as saying.

IS has not been able to penetrate inside Iran, even with the support of hostile intelligence agencies in the region.

Alavi explained that intelligence agents recently foiled a large-scale terrorist attack planned by Ansar al-Furqan led by Hisham Azizi known by his nom de guerre Abu Hafs al-Balushi. The attack intended to target vital centres in Iran by using tens of suicide bombers in the south-west of the country.

However, Iranian defence chief Hossein Dehghan said IS did not pose a serious threat to Iran becasue it did not possess the capabilities to penetrate the Iranian border.

Dehghan added that the Iranian authorities are closely monitoring all terrorist plots targeting his country and they are fully prepared for any threats.

Deputy Interior Minister Hussein Zu al-Fiqari said Thursday that if IS fighters came within 50km of the Iranian border they would be met with an immediate and decisive response without hesitation.