Hawzah News Agency (Tehran, Iran) - Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Eid al-Fitr prayers in Tehran on Monday, Mahmoud Alawi said his forces on Sunday launched a “timely” attack on a terrorist cell which was in possession of a “very large supply of arms and ammunition.”

He also assured the Iranian nation that the counterterrorism operations by the intelligence forces are not confined to the religious ceremonies, stressing that Iranians can enjoy calm and security all year round.

According to Alawi, the Intelligence Ministry’s efforts have considerably minimized the possibility of terrorist attacks.

There has been a surge in the number of counterterrorism operations the Iranian security forces have launched in recent weeks.

The Intelligence Ministry has arrested dozens of militants affiliated with the Daesh (ISIS or ISIL) terrorist group across Iran following the June 7 attacks in Tehran that were claimed by the Takfiri group.