Before a ceasefire was struck last week in their 12-day war, Iran and Israel traded strikes, which the U.S. joined with an attack on Iran's uranium-enrichment facilities.

Afghanistan is in discussions with Russia to import certain foodstuffs as the conflict between Israel and Iran, one of its largest trading partners, risked cutting off supplies, its agriculture minister told Reuters.

The arrests have raised fears that a new wave of repression is coming, as the government seeks to root out spy networks and clamp down on any dissent.