Iran announced that it had executed three men accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. The men were identified as Idris Ali, Azad Shojai, and Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul. According to Iran’s judiciary news agency, Mizan, the executions took place in the northwestern city of Urmia, near the border with Turkey.
Photos released by authorities showed the three men wearing blue prison uniforms before their execution. The Iranian judiciary claimed that the men were involved in smuggling equipment into the country. This equipment, authorities say, was used in an assassination operation planned by Israel.
The Mizan report stated that the three men had “cooperated with the Zionist regime” and were working in favor of Israel’s Mossad agency. The report also claimed that the equipment they attempted to bring into Iran was intended to carry out high-level assassinations.
The Iranian government has not disclosed who the target of the planned assassination was. The identity of the person remains unknown.
Crackdown on Alleged Israeli Spies Amid Rising Tensions
This execution comes at a time of high tensions between Iran and Israel. In recent weeks, the two countries were involved in a serious conflict, mainly over Iran’s nuclear program. After several days of intense confrontations, both countries agreed to U.S.-mediated talks led by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
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Iran’s authorities have been known to crack down hard on anyone they suspect of spying for Israel. Over the years, Iran has executed several people who were accused of being linked to Mossad. These alleged links often involve cases of sabotage, spying, or assassination attempts targeting Iran’s nuclear program or military personnel.
During the latest conflict, Iran arrested at least 700 people. These arrests were part of a wide operation aimed at identifying individuals believed to be working with or supporting Israel. The three men who were executed on Wednesday were among those arrested during this sweep.
According to the judiciary, the trial was carried out quickly. The officials claimed that the men had received a fair trial and that their sentences were confirmed by Iran’s Supreme Court before the execution was carried out.
A Pattern of Spy-Related Execution in Iran
This week’s hangings were not the only executions Iran carried out for alleged spying activities. Just three days earlier, another man, Majid Mosayebi, was also executed for working with Mossad. According to Mizan, Mosayebi was accused of trying to pass on “sensitive information” to Israeli intelligence services.
The Iranian judiciary stated that Mosayebi’s execution was carried out only after completing all legal processes and receiving final approval from the Supreme Court.
Iran and Israel have been enemies for decades. Iran calls Israel its “arch-foe” and accuses it of trying to sabotage its progress, especially in nuclear technology. In turn, Israel sees Iran as a major threat to its security.
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In past years, several Iranian nuclear scientists have been killed in mysterious attacks. Iran blames Israel’s Mossad for these killings. Iran also claims that Mossad has carried out secret operations inside Iranian borders, often with help from people recruited within the country.
The recent conflict between the two nations, including airstrikes and threats of war, has only intensified Iran’s crackdown on people suspected of working with Israel. The government says it will continue to deal strictly with anyone helping what it calls “the Zionist regime”.
So far, authorities have not released further details about the kind of equipment smuggled or exactly how the three executed men were recruited or involved.