Iran has executed a man it convicted of spying for Israel, the Iranian judiciary's media outlet Mizan reported on Wednesday, naming the defendant as Ali Ardestani.
Entangled in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has executed many people it has accused of having links with Israel's intelligence service and facilitating its operations in the country.
"The death sentence of Ali Ardestani for the crime of espionage in favour of the Mossad intelligence service by providing the country's sensitive information was carried out after approval by the Supreme Court and through legal procedures," Mizan said.
Executions of Iranians accused of spying for Israel have surged this year amid escalating tensions between the two longtime adversaries.
After years of covert attacks, cyber operations, and proxy warfare, hostilities erupted into direct confrontation last June, when Israel, backed by the United States, struck Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Since then, Iranian authorities have intensified internal security measures, including a sharp rise in arrests and executions of people accused of collaborating with Israel’s Mossad as efforts to deter espionage and reinforce national security during a volatile regional standoff.
