Iran Executes Man Accused of Spying for Israel and U.S. During Wartime

Darwin, 25 May : During the ongoing war involving Israel and the United States, Iran has carried out the execution of a man accused of espionage for the first time. According to the country’s judiciary, the death sentence was executed on Sunday after the man was convicted of passing wartime information to enemy forces.

Iran’s judiciary-run news outlet, Mizan Online, reported that the accused, Mojtaba Kian, had transferred sensitive information related to the country’s defense industry to hostile entities. He was executed at a prison early Sunday morning.

According to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), Kian allegedly leaked information concerning Iran’s defense capabilities during the roughly 40-day conflict.

The war began on February 28 following U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed several senior Iranian leaders. In response, Tehran launched retaliatory attacks across the region. This marks the first execution directly linked to espionage activities committed during the ongoing conflict.

Since the outbreak of the war, Iran has increased the number of executions related to espionage or collaboration with Israel and the United States. However, before Sunday, all those executed had been sentenced for offenses committed prior to the conflict.

Mizan Online stated that Kian had sent multiple messages to hostile networks connected to “Zionist American enemies,” including the locations and details of factories producing components for Iran’s defense industry.

The report added that he transmitted information to satellite television networks, though it did not specify which media outlets were involved. Iranian authorities frequently accuse Persian-language media organizations based abroad of cooperating with Israel.

According to Mizan, after Kian leaked the location of an Iranian facility, it became a target during the war and was subsequently attacked. Following the completion of legal procedures, the sentence was carried out early Sunday.

The Iranian outlet also said that Kian’s execution and the confiscation of his property took place less than 50 days after his arrest. Earlier, on Thursday, Iran executed two other individuals convicted of armed rebellion and links to separatist militant groups.

Source: AFP.