Iran arrests Ahwazi separatist leader amid war crackdown: What to know
The Islamic Republic has detained hundreds of people in Khuzestan province, home to Iran’s largest Arab community.
Iranian authorities announced on Wednesday that a separatist leader had been arrested in the oil-rich southwestern Khuzestan province. Khuzestan, which is known as Ahwaz by many residents, has become a flashpoint during the current war and recent anti-government protests, driven by years of economic hardship and shortages.
An Arab minority comprises about a third of Khuzestan's population of 4.5 million people.
What happened: The Iranian Intelligence Ministry identified the man arrested as a senior commander of an unspecified “Israeli-linked separatist terrorist group,” accusing him of carrying out deadly attacks on state security forces.
State media outlets reported that the man is part of a group seeking independence for Khuzestan province, though his arrest took place in Isfahan in central Iran.
