Iran has carried out the execution of a man convicted of spying for Israel, in what authorities describe as part of intensified security measures following the recent military confrontation between the two rivals.
The country’s judiciary confirmed the execution on Saturday, December 20, through its official media outlet, Mizan News Agency. According to the report, the sentence was carried out after it was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court and after all required legal and judicial processes had been concluded.
The executed individual was identified as Aghil Keshavarz. Iranian authorities said he was found guilty of collaborating with Israel, which they routinely refer to as the “Zionist regime.” The charges against him included espionage, direct communication and cooperation with Israeli intelligence, and collecting sensitive information by photographing military and security installations.
Judicial officials stated that Keshavarz was arrested earlier this year, between April and May, in the northwestern city of Urmia. He was accused of working as an operative for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. According to Mizan, the court was presented with what it described as the defendant’s confession during the trial.
Further details released by the judiciary outlined the alleged activities carried out by Keshavarz. These reportedly included photographing strategic locations, installing tracking devices, conducting opinion surveys, and analysing traffic movements along specific routes. Authorities said these tasks were carried out under the direction of Mossad handlers.
The execution comes in the wake of the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in June, which marked the most direct and sustained military confrontation between the two nations to date. The fighting began on June 13, when Israel launched large-scale strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, as well as some residential areas. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli territory.
The conflict later drew in the United States, which joined Israel in launching strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The fighting brought ongoing diplomatic negotiations between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear programme to a halt and significantly escalated regional tensions. A ceasefire eventually took effect on June 24, bringing an end to the hostilities.
In the aftermath of the war, Iranian authorities pledged to accelerate investigations and trials of individuals accused of aiding Israel. Since then, the government has announced several arrests and confirmed that at least 10 people convicted of working with Mossad have been executed.
Iran, which does not recognise the state of Israel, has long accused it of carrying out covert operations inside its borders, including sabotage of nuclear facilities and the killing of Iranian scientists. In response to what it sees as growing external threats, Tehran strengthened its espionage laws in October.
Under the revised legislation, individuals convicted of spying for Israel or the United States face harsher penalties, including the seizure of assets and the death sentence. Previously, Iran’s espionage laws did not single out specific countries, nor did they automatically prescribe capital punishment for spying.
The latest execution highlights Iran’s increasingly hardline approach to national security and espionage, reflecting heightened tensions with Israel and its allies in the wake of the recent conflict.
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