Iran Executes Man Convicted of Spying for Israel’s Mossad, Judiciary Says

Iran has executed a man accused of acting as a key operative for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency after he was convicted of espionage, the country’s judiciary announced on Wednesday.

According to judicial authorities, the man, identified as Ali Ardestani, was executed at dawn after being found guilty of spying and collaborating with what Iran describes as the “terrorist Mossad service.” The judiciary said all legal procedures, including appeals, had been completed prior to the execution.

Court documents state that Ardestani was recruited online by Mossad officers and was persuaded to cooperate through financial incentives and false promises. Investigators said he carried out multiple assignments for Israeli intelligence, including photographing sensitive locations and collecting information about specific individuals.

Judicial records and Ardestani’s own confessions indicated that he maintained continuous virtual contact with Mossad officers and also communicated with agents allegedly linked to Israel inside Iran. Authorities said he was paid in cryptocurrency after completing each task.

According to the judiciary, Mossad handlers arranged in-person meetings between Ardestani and an internal contact, during which he handed over photos, videos, and intelligence before receiving new instructions. He was eventually arrested while allegedly in the process of carrying out another mission.

During interrogations and court proceedings, Ardestani reportedly admitted that his motive for espionage was the promise of a multi-million-dollar payment and assistance in obtaining a visa for the United Kingdom. He acknowledged that he was fully aware he was cooperating with Israeli intelligence and knowingly provided what authorities described as “valuable information to an enemy state.”

Based on security reports, evidence presented by investigators, and the defendant’s explicit confessions, the court sentenced Ardestani to death. The ruling was later upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court, which rejected his appeal and confirmed that the trial met legal and procedural requirements, the judiciary said.