Iranian security forces arrest four members of suspected Islamic State cell

BEIRUT: Security forces in southwest Iran have arrested four suspected Islamic State operatives who were planning attacks, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi was cited as saying by the Tasnim news agency on Tuesday.

Last year, Islamic State's members carried out attacks on the parliament in Tehran and the mausoleum of the founder of Iran's revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, killing at least 18 people.

"This team had the intention of sowing destruction in certain areas but the operations were not carried out because of the timely intervention of security forces," Alavi said, according to Tasnim.

The group was led by a man whose brother was killed while
fighting for Islamic State in Syria, Alavi said.

Separately, three suspected militants and one member of the Iranian security forces were killed when they clashed on Saturday in northwestern Iran, according to the Revolutionary Guards.