Iran has executed yet another man accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, bringing the number of people hanged for alleged ties to Israel to at least 15 since the brief but intense war that erupted in June 2025. The latest execution, carried out on Saturday, October 18, in the holy city of Qom, has drawn renewed attention to the Islamic Republic’s escalating crackdown on suspected espionage and its increasingly severe penalties for those accused of collaborating with foreign adversaries.
According to the Iranian judiciary’s official Mizan news agency, the man—whose identity was not immediately disclosed in most Iranian media—was sentenced to death for “war against God” (moharebeh) and “corruption on earth,” charges that under Iranian law are considered among the gravest and are routinely punishable by execution. Hojjatoleslam Kazem Mousavi, the chief justice of Qom province, confirmed that the Supreme Court had upheld the verdict and rejected any request for clemency, sealing the fate of the accused.
“The death sentence for this spy was carried out on Saturday morning,” Mousavi announced, as quoted by Mizan and other state-affiliated outlets. He elaborated that the accused began his contacts with Mossad in October 2023 and was arrested in early 2024, after authorities gathered what they described as significant evidence of collaboration, including confessions and records of confidential information being sent abroad. “This person, for personal and professional reasons, established contact with the services of the Zionist regime (Israel), held meetings with a Mossad officer, cooperated in intelligence work, and began sending confidential information,” Mousavi stated, as reported by EFE and Aurora.
Iranian state media and international news agencies such as ANI and The Tribune further reported that the suspect had transmitted classified information to Mossad through online channels, a detail that underscores the regime’s growing concern over digital espionage and the use of modern communications technology in intelligence operations. The man’s confession, reportedly obtained during interrogations, included admissions of meetings with Mossad officers and the sharing of sensitive material—a pattern that Iranian authorities have cited in several recent cases.
This execution is part of a wider trend that has accelerated since the 12-day war with Israel began on June 12, 2025. According to reports from The Times of Israel and other outlets, at least ten people have been hanged for espionage since the conflict erupted, with the total number reaching 15 when including those executed for related offenses. Among those executed earlier this month was Bahman Choobi-asl, described as “one of Israel’s top spies,” as well as Roozbeh Vadi, who was accused of passing information about a nuclear scientist killed during the June conflict. Six additional men were executed in Khuzestan province for alleged terrorism, reflecting a broader campaign against perceived threats to national security.
Iranian officials have justified these harsh measures as necessary to protect the country’s sovereignty and stability in the face of what they describe as a coordinated campaign of subversion led by Israel and, increasingly, the United States. On Wednesday, October 15, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a new law that further toughens penalties for espionage, explicitly establishing the death penalty for acts deemed to threaten national security. The law also imposes prison sentences for using foreign communication services such as Starlink or collaborating with media outlets considered hostile by the regime.
The legal framework for these executions rests on Iran’s longstanding use of the charges “war against God” and “corruption on earth”—terms that, while rooted in Islamic jurisprudence, have been criticized by human rights advocates for their broad application and lack of precise definition. These charges have often been used to suppress political dissent and punish those accused of undermining the Islamic Republic, whether through alleged espionage, activism, or even participation in protests.
Human rights organizations and international observers have repeatedly expressed alarm over Iran’s use of the death penalty in these cases, arguing that trials are frequently opaque and that confessions are sometimes extracted under duress. While Iranian authorities maintain that all legal procedures are followed and that the evidence against the accused is clear-cut, outside critics contend that the judicial process lacks transparency and that the rapid pace of executions suggests a climate of fear rather than justice.
The recent wave of executions also comes amid heightened tensions in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, where several Sunni tribal leaders were killed in attacks that authorities have blamed on foreign-backed militants. In response, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has vowed to deliver a “decisive response,” according to IRNA, promising swift punishment for those deemed responsible. This rhetoric, coupled with the executions for alleged espionage, signals a government determined to project strength and deter both internal and external adversaries.
The identities of some of those executed, such as Bahman Choobi-asl and Roozbeh Vadi, have circulated in international media, though many cases remain shrouded in secrecy, with little information available to the public or to activists monitoring the death penalty in Iran. This opacity has fueled further concern among human rights defenders and the families of those accused, who often receive little advance notice of executions and are left with unanswered questions about the circumstances of their loved ones’ arrests and trials.
For the Iranian government, however, these actions are framed as necessary steps to safeguard national interests. Officials argue that Israel’s intelligence operations represent a direct threat to the Islamic Republic’s security and that harsh deterrence is warranted. “The country’s security and military forces will deliver a decisive response,” IRNA quoted the IRGC as saying, in the wake of recent violence in Sistan and Baluchestan.
Yet, the broader context is one of increasing isolation and defiance. Iran’s relations with Israel have been openly hostile for decades, but the events of 2025 have pushed the rivalry into a new phase, with both sides engaging in covert operations, cyberattacks, and targeted assassinations. The war that erupted in June was brief but bloody, and its aftermath has left a legacy of suspicion and retribution on both sides.
As the executions mount, so too does the debate—both within Iran and internationally—over the costs of this hardline approach. While the government insists it is acting in the nation’s best interests, critics argue that the relentless pace of executions and the expansion of capital punishment for espionage only serve to deepen Iran’s isolation and undermine its standing on the world stage.
For now, the cycle of accusation, conviction, and execution appears set to continue, leaving families grieving and observers questioning the true price of security in the Islamic Republic.
