In a move that has drawn both global attention and condemnation, Iran executed Bahman Choubi-Asl on Monday, September 29, 2025, after convicting him of espionage for Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad. The execution, which followed the Supreme Court’s rejection of his appeal, marks another chapter in what observers describe as the largest wave of executions seen in Iran in decades, as reported by the Associated Press and confirmed by Iranian state-affiliated outlets.
Choubi-Asl, a database expert with deep access to Iran’s critical telecommunications and government data systems, was accused by Iranian authorities of “extensive and conscious cooperation with the Israeli spy service in the database field.” According to BORNA, a Tehran-based news agency, he entered sensitive national projects through his work at a knowledge-based company, eventually rising to a managerial role that granted him access to the country’s most vital databases. Iran’s Mizan news agency, the judiciary’s official mouthpiece, described him as Mossad’s “most trusted” spy in the country.
The story of Choubi-Asl’s alleged espionage reads almost like a modern spy thriller. Judicial reports cited by BORNA claim that Mossad agents first identified Choubi-Asl while he attended a specialist course in a Persian Gulf country. Under the guise of a front company called “ESMI,” a Mossad officer initiated contact. Choubi-Asl was then directed to travel to Armenia, but the destination changed to India at the last minute. There, Mossad operatives—posing as executives—covered all his travel expenses, provided a monetary bonus, and even enrolled him in advanced technical training classes. This was followed by a 45-day intensive program in Ireland, where a Persian-speaking handler reportedly debriefed him on Iran’s sensitive infrastructure and database projects.
The Iranian judiciary’s case, as reported by Al Arabiya and other outlets, centered on Choubi-Asl’s alleged efforts to breach government databases, investigate the routes for importing electronic equipment, and perform other “harmful operations.” Court documents described him as one of Israel’s most important assets in Iran, with tasks that included accessing government institutions, identifying electronic equipment import paths, and potentially sabotaging critical infrastructure through contaminated hardware. This approach, according to BORNA, mirrors tactics previously used against Iran’s nuclear program.
Choubi-Asl’s cooperation with Mossad, authorities said, was deliberate and extensive. He reportedly met with Mossad officers in 63 meetings across nine foreign trips to countries including the UAE, Armenia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Ireland, and Bulgaria. During these trips, he allegedly received spy tools and cash. In his own words, as quoted by BORNA, “The Mossad officer announced that he had the possibility of selling equipment to Iran and asked me to speak to the CEO so that they could provide the hardware needed by the company or to connect him with a company that operates in the hardware field.”
Following his arrest, Choubi-Asl was charged with espionage for the benefit of a foreign service, specifically cooperating with Israel’s Mossad. The charges also included “corruption on earth” (fisad fil-arz), a grave accusation under Iranian law that can carry the death penalty. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the sentence, and Choubi-Asl was hanged at dawn on Monday.
This execution is far from an isolated incident. Since the start of 2025, at least ten people accused of spying for Israel have been executed in Iran, according to Al Arabiya. The recent surge in executions has coincided with heightened tensions between Iran and Israel, particularly after the June 2025 war. The conflict saw Israeli air strikes that killed about 1,100 people in Iran, including several military commanders, followed by Iranian missile barrages targeting Israel. Amid this backdrop, Iran has vowed to confront its enemies with renewed vigor, especially after the United Nations and European Union reimposed sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program.
The Associated Press notes that Iran has hanged nine people for espionage since the June war alone. The government claims that these executions are part of a broader effort to dismantle foreign intelligence networks operating within its borders. Iranian security agencies also reported the arrest of more than 700 individuals allegedly affiliated with Mossad during the Israeli aggression in June, as well as the dismantling of underground drone facilities in Tehran and other cities operated by Mossad agents.
Yet, the pace and secrecy of these executions have sparked widespread criticism from human rights organizations and international observers. The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group and the Washington-based Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran put the number of people executed in the country in 2025 at over 1,000—a figure not seen since 1988, when thousands were executed at the end of the Iran-Iraq war. Independent United Nations human rights experts weighed in on Monday, declaring, “The sheer scale of executions in Iran is staggering and represents a grave violation of the right to life. With an average of more than nine hangings per day in recent weeks, Iran appears to be conducting executions at an industrial scale that defies all accepted standards of human rights protection.”
Many of these cases, including Choubi-Asl’s, have been conducted behind closed doors. Activists and rights groups, as noted by the Associated Press, have long criticized Iran’s use of closed-door trials for those accused of espionage, where suspects are often unable to access the evidence against them or mount a meaningful defense. The execution of Babak Shahbazi earlier in September on similar spying charges was also met with controversy, as activists claimed he had been tortured into a false confession after reaching out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The wave of executions comes amid a period of domestic unrest in Iran. The country has faced multiple nationwide protests in recent years, driven by economic hardship, demands for women’s rights, and calls for political reform. In response, the government has cracked down harshly, with executions and mass arrests serving as tools to maintain control and deter dissent. The timing of Choubi-Asl’s execution—just after the reimposition of international sanctions and in the wake of the June war—underscores the regime’s determination to project strength both at home and abroad.
For now, the fate of those accused of espionage in Iran remains grim. As the government continues its campaign against alleged spies and foreign agents, the international community watches with alarm, raising questions about due process, human rights, and the broader implications of this new era of confrontation between Iran and its adversaries.
In the shadow of these events, Bahman Choubi-Asl’s story stands as a stark reminder of the high stakes, secrecy, and human cost at the heart of modern espionage and geopolitical rivalry.