By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Islamic Republic of Iran has executed a man named Hamidreza Sabet Esmaeilipour after a court found him guilty of espionage on behalf of Israel, according to Mizan, the media outlet of the Iranian judiciary.
Mizan reported on Wednesday that Esmaeilipour was hanged following his conviction for spying and intelligence cooperation with Israel’s intelligence agency, the Mossad.
Judicial authorities said Esmaeilipour was arrested on April 29, 2025. They accused him of transferring classified documents and sensitive materials to a “hostile intelligence service.”
The report stated that the execution took place after Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentence. Authorities also said all legal processes had been completed before the sentence was carried out.
Iran and Israel have remained engaged in a prolonged shadow conflict that has involved covert activities, assassinations, cyber operations and intelligence missions across the Middle East.
Tehran has repeatedly alleged that Israel has penetrated its security and military institutions, with particular focus on matters linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.
In recent years, Iranian authorities have executed several people accused of having ties to Israeli intelligence. These actions have attracted criticism from international human rights organisations, which have raised concerns about due process and Iran’s use of capital punishment.
Reports indicate that executions connected to alleged espionage for Israel have risen since last year. This followed a direct military confrontation in June, when Israeli and U.S. forces launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, a development that sharply intensified hostilities between the two rivals.
Iranian officials insist that such executions are essential for protecting national security. Critics, however, argue that espionage allegations often lack clarity and that court proceedings remain largely opaque.
