WANA (Jun 11) – In the world of security, sometimes a simple phone call or a sharp observation can change the fate of a nation.

 

Last week, an 8-year-old boy from Qom noticed the suspicious comings and goings of several unfamiliar men around his neighborhood—movements that were quiet, during odd hours, and by strangers with unfamiliar faces.

 

Something clicked in the child’s mind; he remembered that his father had once told him about the police arresting bad people.

 

With a childlike sense of detective work, the boy began piecing the puzzle together. He sensed that something about these men’s behavior wasn’t right. Perhaps he had even overheard snippets of their conversations—some words like “explosion.”

 

Having always looked up to security officers as real heroes, and dreaming of becoming a hero himself, he realized he needed to share what he had seen and heard with “the grown-ups.”

A Boy talking to his parents. Generated by AI. WANA News Agency

He told his parents about it. But the problem was that these types of children’s words aren’t always taken seriously; they might be dismissed as imagination. Yet, the boy didn’t give up. He insisted again and again, saying that something was not normal.

 

He was so persistent that his parents, after paying closer attention, recognized the seriousness of the situation and decided to report it to the security authorities.

 

Everything began with a phone call made by a woman to Iran’s emergency police center. Her voice was calm, yet worried:

 

“Excuse me… I live in a building where some undocumented foreigners are staying. Their comings and goings are suspicious. I wanted to give you the address so you could check it out…”

 

This civilian report became the beginning of one of the largest counter-terrorism operations in recent years.

 

Following the call, the Counter-Terrorism Unit of Iran’s Fateh Intelligence Organization carried out precise intelligence and reconnaissance operations and managed to surprise and arrest a 13-member terrorist group that was operating under the direct command of the extremist group ISIS.

Arrest of the ISIS terrorist network. Social media/ WANA News Agency

This terrorist cell, whose members included foreign nationals—among them a Syrian citizen—had planned to carry out suicide attacks during the anniversary of the passing of Imam Khomeini, the former leader of Iran, as well as during other large public gatherings.

 

Notably, the group’s focus was not on armed confrontations, but rather on large-scale explosive attacks intended to cause maximum human casualties. One of the group’s alarming features was the high combat readiness of its members.

 

At their residence, items such as phosphates, sulfur, and suicide backpacks were discovered—equipment indicating that the group had received specialized training in manufacturing explosives right at that location.

 

This complex and successful operation was conducted on May 24, 2025, by the counter-terrorism units of Faraja (Iran’s Law Enforcement Command).

 

All 13 members of the group—including the leader, suicide bombers, and logistical supporters—were captured alive. According to their confessions, their ultimate goal was to carry out bombings in public places and at the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini on June 4.

Shah Cheragh Shrine personnel are cleaning up the aftermath of a terrorist attack in Shiraz, Iran, on October 26, 2022. Amin Berenjkar/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

Of course, this is not the first time that terrorist groups like ISIS have attempted attacks in Iran.

 

On June 7, 2017, ISIS launched a terrorist attack on the Iranian Parliament and the mausoleum of Imam Khomeini, resulting in multiple casualties and injuries. Similarly, the attack on the Shah Cheragh shrine in Shiraz on October 26, 2022, was another example of this group’s armed actions on Iranian soil.

 

Recently, Iran also announced that it has executed nine members of the ISIS terrorist group who were convicted of plotting deadly attacks on Iranian soil in 2018, who were part of a terrorist cell dismantled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on January 27, 2018.

 

These are just some examples of ISIS’s crimes. But fortunately, this time, tragedy was averted. The heroes of this case were not only the elite security forces, but also a smart child and his attentive parents—people who, with awareness, vigilance, and a sense of responsibility, prevented a catastrophe.