Iranian security forces have arrested eight hardline Sunni Islamists suspected of planning attacks to disrupt celebrations for Iran's Islamic revolution in the past week, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said on Saturday. Alavi said the eight were "Takfiri" foreigners, some of whom were linked to a "Takfiri" leader who had been killed in Iran, IRNA reported. He did not give details of which countries they were from.
"Takfiri" is a word used by predominantly Shi'ite Muslim Iran to refer to hardline, armed, Sunni Islamist groups. "Initial information indicates that Kalashnikovs and other equipment were obtained to carry out terrorist operations ... in Tehran and several other cities under the direct guidance of persons based in neighbouring countries," Alavi was quoted by the state news agency IRNA as saying. In August, Alavi said the leader of a Sunni militant group in south-east Iran responsible for attacks against security forces and civilian targets has been killed, although it was not immediately clear if he was person he suspected those arrested of being linked to.