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Iran has carried out the execution of a man found guilty of spying for Israel's Mossad, according to state media reports released on Wednesday, as reported by ABC.
The state-run IRNA news agency named the individual as Ali Ardestani, stating that he passed classified information to Mossad operatives in exchange for financial compensation, which was reportedly paid in cryptocurrency. IRNA said Ardestani admitted to the espionage charges and had expected to receive a reward of one million dollars along with a British visa. The agency described him as a "special operative of Israel" and that he provided Mossad with photographs and video recordings of sensitive locations. No details were given regarding when or where Ardestani was arrested. According to the report, Ardestani was recruited by Israel through online channels, and his case proceeded through Iran's judicial system, including both lower courts and the Supreme Court. Human rights groups and Western governments have criticised Iran's extensive use of the death penalty, particularly in cases involving political activity and espionage, as reported by The Times of Israel. Activists say many convictions are based on forced confessions, and that trials are frequently held behind closed doors without access to independent legal counsel. Iranian authorities, however, insist that those executed were "agents of hostile intelligence services" involved in acts of terrorism or sabotage. The Norway-based organisation Iran Human Rights reported that Iran carried out at least 1,500 executions in 2025, describing the surge as an "unprecedented" increase in the use of capital punishment. "We have never seen numbers like this in the past 35 years," said the group's director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, as reported by The Times of Israel. Tehran has reportedly executed 12 individuals on espionage charges since the 12-day air war between Israel and Iran, which left nearly 1,100 people dead in Iran, including senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. (ANI)
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