Public Outcry Grows: Iranians Demand Harsh Punishment for Domestic Collaborators

According to Saed News, Hojjatoleslam Abdolrahim Najafgholizadeh Saraei, head of the Supreme Leader's representative office in the Ashura Corps of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), addressed a large rally in Tabriz on Wednesday, proclaiming that the Iranian people demand “the harshest punishment” for what he called “sellouts”—individuals accused of collusion with foreign intelligence services.

Drawing comparisons to the early days of the Islamic Revolution, Saraei called on citizens to resume the vigilant internal security posture of the 1980s, when “safehouses of spies and hypocrites were exposed by the people themselves.” He asserted that “every citizen today is a member of the security apparatus.”

Speaking against a backdrop of rising anti-Western sentiment, Saraei lauded Iran’s missile campaign during the recent 12-day conflict as proof of the country’s strategic power. He claimed Iran’s ballistic missile strikes exposed the vulnerability of Israel and the United States, noting that “the Iron Dome collapsed before the might of Iran” and that “Iran’s missiles struck deep into the largest U.S. military base in Qatar.”

The cleric emphasized that “the enemy has never suffered such losses in any war” and insisted that Iran’s military capabilities now pose a credible threat to U.S. bases across the Middle East. He warned that if Iran were to close the Strait of Hormuz, “no vessel would dare to cross.”

Saraei also praised regional allies, especially Yemen, for their support, framing the broader conflict as a unifying force for Iranians at home and abroad. “The 12-day war,” he stated, “strengthened our national resolve, reinforced our faith, and awakened our spirit of sacrifice.”

He concluded by insisting that the “traitors” within Iran—those accused of collaborating with Israeli and American interests—must be dealt with swiftly and harshly. “The people’s demand today is clear,” he said. “They want justice for the infiltrators who sold out their homeland.”