Iran has put Hossein Pedaran to death following a closed espionage case in which authorities alleged that he supplied Israel with intelligence about missile facilities in the central province of Isfahan.
The execution forms part of a broader campaign against people accused of working with foreign intelligence services. Human-rights organizations have questioned the fairness of similar cases, particularly when convictions have relied heavily on statements made during detention.
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Iran’s judiciary said Pedaran was convicted of cooperating with Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency. His death sentence was reviewed and approved by the country’s Supreme Court before being carried out, according to the judiciary-run Mizan news agency.
Officials presented Pedaran’s alleged account of his contact with foreign intelligence agencies as a central element of the case. They claimed he first attempted to reach the CIA but received no response.
He then allegedly contacted Mossad and, several days later, began communicating through WhatsApp with a person calling himself “Ben” who used a Dutch telephone number.
Authorities said Pedaran provided information concerning missile sites in Isfahan, a strategically important province that contains major military and nuclear-related facilities. They did not disclose when the alleged communications occurred or provide documentation showing what information was transferred.