This round of anti-spy operation is unprecedented in scale, and can be regarded as the most intensive counter-espionage campaign Iran has undertaken in decades, codenamed "Pure Shield":

Since March 2026, Iran has arrested over 550 individuals suspected of being spies, including dozens of members from the Revolutionary Guard and even personal aides within the inner circle.

Specific operational scale, confirmed by multiple authoritative sources:

81 people arrested on March 10, including 10 spies within the Revolutionary Guard;

54 people arrested on March 14;

4 people arrested on March 18;

41 people arrested on March 19;

45 people arrested on March 20;

39 people arrested on March 25.

The current anti-spy campaign in Iran was carried out with precision: employing "entrapment law enforcement," it deployed falsified intelligence with traceable markers to reverse-trace and expose spies hidden within high-level institutions.

The extent of infiltration is shocking

The "results" of this operation ironically reveal the deeply compromised state of Iran’s security system:

Full-scale infiltration: Intelligence networks from the U.S. and Israel have penetrated all levels—from senior Revolutionary Guard officials and the Supreme Leader’s security team to ordinary citizens.

Widespread civilian espionage: Many ordinary people, driven by economic hardship, have been providing fragmented intelligence such as the Supreme Leader’s movements or coordinates of military facilities in exchange for payment, creating massive security risks. The targeted assassination of high-ranking officials including Supreme Leader Khamenei on February 28 is reportedly based on such intelligence.

From a tactical standpoint, this “anti-spy” operation has severely damaged the intelligence network of the U.S. and Israel inside Iran, avenging the series of "decapitation" strikes Iran has suffered since February, while also intimidating internal dissenters.

But strategically speaking, merely arresting spies addresses only symptoms, not root causes. Experts point out that the rampant spy problem stems fundamentally from severe livelihood issues (high inflation, unemployment) and social tensions. As long as external sanctions persist and domestic economic difficulties remain unaddressed, the U.S. and Israel will always find new grounds to cultivate new agents.

In short, Iran's "thunderous anti-spy purge" has temporarily sealed the wound, but to truly restore its "immune system," resolving economic and livelihood problems remains the fundamental solution.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860743182465024/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author