Iranian authorities have announced the execution of a man accused of providing information about Iranian missile sites to Israeli intelligence, adding to a series of espionage-related cases reported during the ongoing regional conflict.
Iran’s judiciary said on Saturday that Hossein Pedaran was executed after being convicted of providing Israel’s Mossad intelligence service with information about missile sites in Isfahan province, central Iran. Authorities said he was accused of “espionage and intelligence collaboration” in favour of Israel.
According to the judiciary, Pedaran’s death sentence had been upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court. Officials did not provide details about when he was arrested, when his trial took place, or what evidence was presented against him. The case had not previously been publicly reported by Iranian media.
The execution comes amid heightened security measures in Iran following the escalation of the Middle East conflict. Iranian authorities have increased arrests and executions involving people accused of cooperating with Israel, while the country has also faced widespread domestic unrest.
Isfahan has particular strategic importance because the province is home to Iranian nuclear facilities as well as military infrastructure. The region has reportedly been among the areas heavily affected by attacks during the conflict, including strikes on missile-related sites.
Iranian authorities also announced in August that two other men had been executed after being accused of passing the coordinates of sensitive military and security locations to Israel.
Cases involving alleged espionage have drawn international attention because of the severe penalties imposed by Iranian courts. Rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about Iran’s use of the death penalty and the legal processes surrounding executions. Iran is widely reported to carry out more executions annually than any country except China, although exact figures for China are not publicly available.
The latest execution highlights the increasingly serious consequences faced by people accused by Iranian authorities of assisting foreign intelligence services during a period of heightened regional tensions.
