Tehran Suspects Saudi Intelligence of Attempts to Stage Terror Attacks in Iran

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry suspects Saudi Arabian intelligence services of being involved in illegal explosives trafficking through the Iranian border for staging terror attacks, the ministry said on Wednesday in a statement.

The Iranian security services managed to detect two large caches of bombs as well as explosives and shells that were delivered to Iran through the country’s eastern border.

"During the first operation, 23 remotely operated bombs, which were prepared and delivered to the eastern part of Iran under the supervision of Saudi intelligence services, have been detected," the Iranian Intelligence Ministry's statement said.

The second operation was carried out in the western part of the country – Iranian Kurdistan – where the security officers managed to reveal equipment and materials needed for manufacturing explosive devices. They are said to have belonged to one of the "separatist terror groups."

The ministry added that members of a group, which came from Iraqi Kurdistan, had 41 grenades, more than 30 magazines for Kalashnikov assault rifles and several shells for shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons.

The two major Middle Eastern powers, Iran and Saudi Arabia, have deep disagreements on a number of regional issues, including conflicts in Syria and Yemen. In 2016, Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran following protests in front of its diplomatic premises in Tehran. Recently, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani named two conditions for a thaw between the two countries, saying that Riyadh should "stop the misguided friendship with Israel and the inhuman bombardment of Yemen."