TEHRAN: Iran’s intelligence ministry announced Wednesday that two Europeans had been arrested on accusations of seeking to “destabilise the country”, without specifying their nationality. “Two Europeans, who had entered the country with the aim of unleashing chaos and destabilising society, were identified and arrested,” the ministry said in a statement.

The two detainees had attempted to get close to the teachers’ union, the ministry said.

For months, teachers in Iran have held protests to demand that the authorities speed up the implementation of reforms that would see their salaries better reflect their experience and performance.