Thousands arrested by Iran police as shots fired in 'ceasefire' governed Lebanon

Thousands arrested by Iran police as shots fired in 'ceasefire' governed Lebanon Fragile ceasefire across the Middle East shakier by the day as two are killed in Lebanon and it emerges Iran has arrested thousands in brutal crackdown throughout the war with the US Iranian security forces have seized over 3,000 citizens since war with the US began, accusing them of collaborating with the “enemy.” As many as 3,296 have been arrested despite US President Donald Trump ’s promise to rebels that “help is on the way” when war broke out in February. At least 684 individuals are accused of being spies, carrying out “operational actions” for Israel, Tehran’s judiciary has admitted to local media. Properties of around 100 of the accused in the Isfahan Province have been seized by Iranian authorities in a sweeping crackdown. One security analyst told the Mirror : “The measures implemented have resulted in thousands of arrests, extensive asset confiscation, increased prosecutions on national security grounds. There has also been a notable rise in the use of capital charges against individuals accused of collaboration with foreign adversaries. “The clampdown has been directed towards political dissidents, ethnic minorities, activists, journalists and individuals suspected of opposing the state.” A fragile ceasefire in Lebanon, crucial to a peace deal with Iran, has been threatened after Israeli troops opened fire in the south on Tuesday, killing two people and wounding two. Two men were killed by Israeli soldiers in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon and local media claimed the troops shot them as they stood near an excavator that was working on a road. Hezbollah’s deputy head of the political council warned: “Hezbollah remains fully alert with its finger on the trigger, ready to confront any violation by the Israeli regime. The militant group has accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire although Israel’s military said it “struck armed terrorists who posed an immediate threat.” It was the worst violent flare-up after three days of peace and relative calm in the region and threatens to derail the peace process. Tension over Iran and its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon was further heightened by Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf declaring: "Everyone should know that the administration of the Strait of Hormuz will never go back to the way it was before the war.” He conceded that “international regulations will be observed, but Iran will administer the Strait of Hormuz." The claim was a direct slap down to US President Donald Trump's demand of an unconditional reopening of the waterway. It follows an interim peace deal between the US and Iran and maritime traffic had picked up until Tehran said it had closed the Strait on Saturday. It also remains unclear whether Tehran plans to charge vessels to cross Hormuz. Passage was free through the Strait between Iran and Oman, before the war. But Tehran has established a new governmental authority to collect money from ships. Tehran has said it still expects vessels to register with the Persian Gulf Strait Authority before crossing. Ghalibaf, says an agreement has been reached with the United States to release $12bn in frozen Iranian funds following talks in Switzerland which kicked off a 60 day memorandum of understanding aimed at creating a framework for permanent peace. And Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich Israel Defense Forces will not withdraw troops "as long as Hezbollah exists in Lebanon," and while the current government is in power.