Iran has executed a man accused of working for Israel’s intelligence service Mossad, amid a widening security crackdown following months of unrest and escalating regional tensions.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Erfan Kiani was hanged early on Saturday after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld his conviction and legal procedures were completed.
Authorities alleged he had collaborated with Mossad, though no public evidence was provided to substantiate the claim.
Tasnim described Kiani as a “hired thug of Mossad,” accusing him of vandalising and setting fire to public and private property, spreading fear in the central city of Isfahan, and carrying a machete during the alleged offences.
Iranian officials have not independently detailed the evidence behind the espionage allegation, and the case has not been publicly verified by international observers.
The execution comes against a backdrop of intensified internal security operations following nationwide protests earlier this year, as well as heightened tensions linked to the broader confrontation between Iran, Israel and the United States.
Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused foreign powers, particularly Israel, of fomenting unrest and conducting sabotage operations inside the country. Western governments and human rights groups, however, have consistently rejected such claims, warning that Tehran uses national security
charges to suppress dissent and intimidate political opponents.
Rights organisations have expressed growing concern over what they describe as an expanding wave of executions in recent weeks, including cases involving protesters, dissidents and individuals accused of links to Israel. They argue that some trials appear to proceed rapidly and lack basic due process safeguards.
Iranian officials insist its judicial system operates in accordance with domestic law, maintaining that those executed were involved in acts of violence, sabotage or espionage.
The latest execution is likely to further heighten scrutiny of Iran’s domestic security practices at a time of already volatile regional tensions.
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