Iran has arrested at least 700 people since Operation Rising Lion began due to alleged ties with Israel, the Iranian exiled women's organization Association Femme Azadi reported on Thursday night. "Reports confirm the arrest of rabbis and religious leaders in Tehran and Shiraz, accused, without evidence, of ties to Israel," the organization wrote on its social media.
Six additional people have been executed on suspicion of collaborating with Mossad, Israel's public broadcaster KAN News noted. Iran has executed nine individuals accused of espionage so far in 2025, KAN added. Meanwhile, a special gathering of Tehran's Jewish community took place to show support for the Islamic Republic regime earlier on Thursday, celebrating the Iranian Armed Forces's "decisive response" to Israel's airstrikes, KAN reported.
The gathering was attended by Jews serving in the Iranian military, who wore military uniforms and kippahs, KAN noted. Numerous Jewish community buildings were damaged during the airstrikes, Dr. Homayoun Sameyah Najafabadi, the sole Jewish representative in Iran’s governing body, the Islamic Consultative Assembly, claimed during the gathering, according to KAN. (Source)
