TEHRAN — Iran's security apparatus reported multiple sweeping operations nationwide on Tuesday, arresting dozens of individuals in connection with the country's recent unrest, which Tehran has framed as a US-Israeli plot.

In Isfahan province alone, over 70 "armed terrorists" and "mercenaries" were arrested, according to Tasnim News Agency. Officials claimed those detained were involved in the killing of security personnel and civilians. Firearms, knives and incendiary materials were seized from the individuals, the report said, adding that the detainees had attacked public buildings, mosques and government sites. 

Similar operations were conducted in Khorasan Razavi, Lorestan, Zanjan, Hormozgan and Bushehr provinces, where protest "leaders" were rounded up. Separately, the Tehran prosecutor's office has filed cases against over a dozen actors and athletes for allegedly supporting the protests across online platforms. Cases were also opened against signatories of a film association's statement that had condemned violence against demonstrators. The clampdown has also hit 60 cafes that had allegedly "directly or indirectly" supported protest calls on Jan. 8-9, when the unrest reached its most violent phase. 

The state's heavy-handed response has reportedly left thousands dead. Human rights groups, journalists and witness accounts have suggested varying death tolls, amid a state-imposed internet shutdown that has dragged into its 13th day.