Iran Executes another Alleged Israeli Spy Amid Rising Tensions and Post-Protest Fears
Iranian authorities have announced the execution of another individual accused of espionage on behalf of Israel, marking the second such execution in less than a month.
Iranian authorities have announced the execution of another individual accused of espionage on behalf of Israel, marking the second such execution in less than a month and fueling concerns over a broader post-protest crackdown. According to Mizan News Agency, the media arm of Iran’s judiciary, Hamidreza Sabet Esmailpour was executed at dawn after his death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court. Iranian officials say Esmailpour was arrested in May 2025 and convicted of spying for Israel and its intelligence service, Mossad.
The judiciary claims that Esmailpour was involved in transmitting classified documents and sensitive information and had cooperated with Israel in acts of sabotage targeting missile facilities linked to Iran’s Ministry of Defense in 2022. Mizan reported that the execution was carried out following final judicial approval, though no independent evidence has been made public and no details have been provided regarding the transparency of the trial or Esmailpour’s access to legal counsel.
Esmailpour is the second individual executed within a month on charges of spying for Israel. On January 7, Ali Ardestani was executed after authorities accused him of “espionage for Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad.” According to Mizan, Ardestani was described as a “key Mossad asset inside Iran” who allegedly transferred “sensitive national security information” to Israel. The judiciary claimed he had carried out photography and video recording of “specific locations” and “sensitive targets,” and that this information was later transmitted to Israeli intelligence.
The report further alleged that Ardestani received payment in cryptocurrency and that his actions were motivated by the prospect of obtaining a British visa and a “million-dollar reward.” Mizan also claimed that he had direct, in-person contact with a Mossad operative, though no additional details or evidence were provided. Iranian authorities did not release any photograph of Ardestani and did not disclose when he was arrested, the length of his detention, the prison in which he was held, or the location of the execution. The judiciary also did not clarify whether other individuals were arrested or prosecuted in connection with the case.
Executions of Iranian nationals convicted of espionage have increased sharply since the spring, particularly after the first direct military confrontation between Iran and Israel. Human rights organizations have long warned that such cases are often handled behind closed doors, raising serious concerns about due process and politically motivated use of the death penalty.
The execution of Esmailpour also comes amid heightened international scrutiny following claims by Donald Trump that Iran had stopped as many as 800 executions—a claim that Iranian authorities have not independently confirmed. Rights advocates warn that such statements risk obscuring a more alarming reality. In the aftermath of the bloody crackdown on nationwide protests, there is growing concern that Iranian authorities may move toward executing detainees arrested during the unrest, particularly under broad and vague charges such as espionage, sabotage, or “enmity against God.” Human rights groups caution that mass arrests, closed trials, and the politicization of the judiciary significantly increase the risk that executions may be used as a tool of intimidation rather than justice.