Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spy as Tensions with Tel Aviv Enter 11th Day
Iran’s judiciary on Monday announced the execution of a man convicted of spying for Israel, as hostilities between the two nations continue to intensify.
The executed individual, Mohammad-Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh, was hanged early Monday after being found guilty of collaborating with Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad. According to Iranian authorities, Shayesteh also maintained links with Iran International, a London-based Persian-language broadcaster critical of the Islamic Republic, which Tehran accuses of having ties to Israeli intelligence.
“Shayesteh was executed this morning for intelligence cooperation with the Zionist regime,” the judiciary stated, using Iran’s term for Israel.
Iran has long considered Iran International a hostile entity. During the widespread protests of 2022—sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody after being detained over dress code violations—the government labeled the media outlet a “terrorist organization.”
The latest execution marks a sharp escalation in Tehran’s crackdown on individuals accused of espionage or links to foreign intelligence. Just a day earlier, the judiciary also announced the hanging of another man, Majid Mosayebi, similarly convicted of working for Mossad.
Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said Sunday that Iran would expedite the handling of “security-related cases,” especially those involving what he called support for the “usurping regime” of Israel or collaboration with its intelligence efforts.
“Cases involving espionage and enemy infiltration will be dealt with more swiftly,” Ejei said in a televised address.
Iran has a long-standing policy of harsh penalties, including capital punishment, for espionage and national security-related offenses. According to human rights watchdogs like Amnesty International, the country ranks second globally in the number of executions carried out each year, behind only China.
With regional tensions rising and clashes between Iran and Israel entering their 11th day, observers fear the increased pace of executions could be part of a broader strategy by Tehran to suppress dissent and deter foreign interference.
