Iran executes another man accused of spying for Israel, as protests roil country

Iranian judiciary’s media outlet says Ali Ardestani committed ‘espionage in favor of the Mossad intelligence service’; he’s at least the 12th person executed since June war

By Agencies and ToI Staff 7 January 2026, 7:33 am

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Portraits of slain Iranians are displayed in an area of Esplanades des Invalides in Paris, France, on July 8, 2025, as part of a campaign by human rights groups focused on Iran to stop executions in in the Islamic Republic. (Delphine TOUITOU / AFP)

Iran executed a man accused of spying for Israel, the Iranian judiciary’s media outlet Mizan reported on Wednesday, naming the defendant as Ali Ardestani.

Executions of Iranians accused of spying for Israel have significantly increased this year, following a 12-day war in June, when Israeli and US strikes devastated the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

“The death sentence of Ali Ardestani for the crime of espionage in favor 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.

Iran is known to have executed at least 12 people for espionage since the war. The country routinely conducts closed-door trials of those accused of spying, with the suspects often unable to access the evidence against them.

In October, Tehran toughened its legislation and penalties for people accused of spying for Israel and the United States, saying they would “be punished by the confiscation of all assets… and subject to the death penalty.”

A previous law did not target any specific country, and espionage was not necessarily punishable by death.

The latest execution came as major protests, which began in late December as a response to a nationwide cost-of-living crisis but have included expressions of broad opposition to the regime overall, are roiling Iran.

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, whose figures have been accurate during previous waves of unrest, at least 34 protesters and 2 security personnel have been killed and more than 1,200 people have been detained in the protests thus far.