In a statement carried by Iran’s semiofficial Mehr news agency, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said 23 of the people were arrested in Iran’s central-western Markaz province, Al Jazeera reports.

The ministry has alleged that the 23 people shared coordinates of military sites with an international media platform it claims is linked with Israel, and were working to foment “street unrest”.

The ministry has also said two people were arrested in the northeastern Golestan province, accusing them of plotting to “attack police centres”.

It added that it documented the “criminal activities” of 15 Persian-speaking individuals abroad alleged to be working as “agents” of Israel and had shared the information with the judiciary.

Iranian authorities have previously told Iranians abroad not to cooperate with entities linked to the US or Israel, saying their property in Iran could be confiscated.