Iran Claims to Thwart Israeli “Sabotage” Against Missile Sector

The Intelligence Organization of Iran's Ministry of Defense has announced that it thwarted an attempt at sabotage within Iran's missile program. 

The organization said on August 31 that it countered a complex scheme aimed at compromising the missile sector of the Ministry of Defense.

"In of one of the most complicated intelligence and security endeavors in recent years, the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Support successfully thwarted a sabotage program orchestrated by the Mossad spy service within the missile industries," it said in a statement. 

According to reports from Noornews, an outlet affiliated with the National Security Council of the Islamic Republic, an official from the Intelligence Protection Organization of the Ministry of Defense disclosed that over the past few months, a network that sought to collaborate with infiltrators was exposed and dismantled.

The intelligence officer from the Ministry of Defense added that this network, operating under the direct guidance of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, aimed to insert faulty components into the production cycle of advanced missiles, with the intention of "converting them into explosive devices."

"These devices were intended to target industrial facilities and personnel in the missile industries. Despite the complexity of the Zionist enemy's plan, this plot was promptly detected and foiled from its inception, leading to the apprehension of the operatives involved," the intelligence officer has said.

While detailed information about the apprehended individuals and the methods used to neutralize the sabotage operation remain undisclosed, Iranian intelligence authorities have in recent years reported several instances of detaining groups linked to Israel within Iran.

However, in recent months, there have also been successful operations conducted by Israel-affiliated units against members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and overseas networks of the Islamic Republic.

The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel has escalated in recent years, particularly following the United States' withdrawal from the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement. 

Examples of successful sabotage within Iran's military sectors include the attack on the Karaj nuclear facilities, the disruption of industries connected to the Ministry of Defense in Isfahan, and an explosion at an Iranian drone factory in Kermanshah. 

These incidents have consistently been attributed to Israel by Iran, although official Israeli sources have refrained from responding to these allegations.