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Iran executed a man Monday who was convicted of espionage for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, as hostilities between the two nations intensified with cross-border attacks claiming hundreds of lives.
Esmaeil Fekri was hanged after being found guilty of "corruption on Earth" and "moharebeh" —waging war against God—according to Iran's judiciary. The Mizan Online news website, affiliated with Iran's judicial system, said Fekri was arrested in 2023 and that his execution followed the completion of all legal procedures, including supreme court approval.
The execution comes as Iran's judiciary signals accelerated prosecutions for suspected Israeli collaborators. Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei announced Monday that trials for those accused of working with Israel should proceed rapidly.
"If someone is arrested for having ties to and collaborating with the Zionist regime, their trial and punishment should be carried out and announced very quickly, in accordance with the law and given the war conditions," Ejei said, according to the Tasnim news agency.
The heightened security concerns follow a series of arrests on both sides. Iranian media reported Sunday that police in Alborz province, west of Tehran, detained two people suspected of Mossad connections. Israel announced the same day that it had arrested two citizens allegedly working for Iranian intelligence services.
The arrests and executions occur against the backdrop of an escalating military confrontation that has transformed decades of shadow warfare into direct strikes. Israel launched what it described as a surprise attack Friday, targeting Iranian nuclear and military installations. The assault has killed at least 224 people in Iran, including senior military officials, nuclear scientists and civilians, according to Iranian reports.
Iran has responded with drone and missile barrages that have killed at least 24 people in Israel, based on figures from the Israeli prime minister's office.
The two nations have maintained a state of enmity for decades, with Iran refusing to recognize Israel's existence. Tehran has consistently accused Israel of conducting sabotage operations against its nuclear program and assassinating Iranian scientists, allegations that have been central to their prolonged covert conflict.
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