Iran’s judiciary has detained more than 3,000 individuals in recent months, accusing them of collaborating with foreign adversaries, according to official statements released Monday. Iranian Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir told Tehran’s semi-official Student News Network that 3,292 people were taken into custody, with 684 alleged to have conducted “operational actions” on behalf of Israel. Additionally, 1,258 have been accused of engaging in political propaganda against the state. So far, 1,061 indictments have been issued against those detained.

Authorities have also confiscated the assets of hundreds of those labeled as traitors, with the judiciary reporting last week that properties of 100 suspected collaborators were seized in the Isfahan province alone.

These recent arrests follow a large-scale crackdown in January, when Iranian authorities detained over 50,000 people amid nationwide protests against the regime. The protests were met with a violent response from security forces, resulting in numerous casualties and widespread detentions.

Iranian officials justify the arrests by pointing to ongoing tensions with the United States and Israel, accusing foreign powers of attempting to destabilize the country. A statement from a provincial branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence organization claimed that “the Zionist enemy and the US are attempting to invade Iran” and are activating “mercenaries and spies” to incite riots.

However, international human rights groups have criticized Iran for employing the conflict as a pretext to suppress dissent. Amnesty International warned last month that the Iranian government is using so-called “wartime conditions” to intensify repression through politically motivated executions, severe prison sentences, and asset seizures. The organization and other rights advocates have also raised concerns about reports of coerced confessions from detainees.

In a related development, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security prevented an unidentified individual linked to the IRGC from entering the United States with Iran’s national soccer team. Department chief Markwayne Mullin said the man, who had recently assumed the position of president of Iran’s soccer federation, was stopped in Tijuana, Mexico, just before the team’s flight to the World Cup game against Belgium in Los Angeles. Mullin emphasized that after research revealed the man’s connections to the IRGC, he was barred from boarding the plane.

These incidents highlight the broader geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran, as well as the government’s efforts to counter perceived external and internal threats amid a volatile regional security environment.