Tehran [Iran], April 2 (ANI): Iranian intelligence forces have reportedly intercepted a substantial consignment of advanced spying devices and communication equipment, while also capturing a spy and several separatist militants during operations in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan, according to the state broadcaster Press TV.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Public Relations Department of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence confirmed that its forces uncovered a 'large consignment of sophisticated espionage and communication equipment.' This included '45 US and Israeli-built devices' that were intercepted as they were 'being smuggled into the country through northwestern borders.'

As reported by the Tehran-based broadcaster, these 'devices were meant to be distributed among operatives across the country' to facilitate further intelligence gathering.

Beyond the hardware seizure, the intelligence agency successfully identified and detained eight individuals described as separatist militants.

Information released by the Iranian news agency detailed that four of these individuals 'had set up a terror cell in the city of Piranshahr.' They were allegedly engaged in 'sharing information on the coordinates of Iranian military installations with the Israeli intelligence service Mossad.'

The remaining militants were reportedly tracked and apprehended in the cities of Urmia and Oshnaviyeh.

In a separate but related security development, an individual accused of 'espionage activities at the behest of the US and Israel' was taken into custody in Piranshahr. This individual was allegedly 'collecting information on Iran's sensitive sites and passing it to enemies.'

According to further details from Press TV, these security operations come in the wake of the 'large-scale and unprovoked military campaign' initiated by the United States and Israel on February 28.

That offensive resulted in the death of the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, along with the killing of 'several high-ranking military commanders,' despite ongoing 'indirect Tehran-Washington negotiations on Iran's peaceful nuclear programme.'

In the weeks following those events, the Iranian Armed Forces have conducted 'waves of retaliatory missile and drone operations against US interests across West Asia and Israeli positions in the occupied territories,' according to the state media account. (ANI)