The Iranian intelligence organization known by its Persian acronym FARAJA has announced the arrest of five people accused of plotting to carry out attacks inside Iran in cooperation with Israel's national intelligence service, the Mossad.

In a July 28 statement, FARAJA claimed that the five were associated with an unnamed Iranian "separatist" leader and had received training to commit armed attacks, sabotage activities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

FARAJA's announcement came one day after Iran's Intelligence Ministry said a Mossad-linked cell had been busted while planning to bomb a sensitive defense industries facility. According to the ministry's statement, a total of 16 explosives were recovered during the arrest of the individuals, which it identified as Komala "mercenaries" in reference to the exiled Komala opposition group.

The leftist organization, branded by the Islamic Republic as a terrorist group, has been fighting for the independence of Iranian Kurds since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The Intelligence Ministry's statement noted that the members of the group accused of plotting to bomb the defense facility had been selected by Komala's leader and introduced to Israeli intelligence agents. It also noted what it called "proxy operations" by Komala members under Israeli orders. The dissident group has not yet reacted to the accusation.