Iran has executed three men and one woman on charges of suspected ties to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, according to media linked with the court.
A report by Al Jazeera, the Mizan news agency of Iran's judiciary stated on Friday, December 29, that four members of a sabotage group linked to the Zionist government were hanged in the northwest region of West Azerbaijan in the early hours of that day.
The individuals who were put to death were three men named Vafa Hanareh, Aram Omari, and Rahman Parhazo, and a woman named Nasim Namazi. They were found guilty of "moharebeh," an Islamic legal term that means "waging war against God" and "corruption on Earth" due to their partnership with the Zionist regime, which refers to Israel.
Compromised Security
Reportedly guided by the Mossad, the four individuals perpetrated several acts that compromised Iran's security.
Along with being suspected of burning down some agents' vehicles and houses, the four were also charged with abducting Iranian security officers in order to get information.
Mizan said without giving any more information that many other individuals associated with the same organization were each given a 10-year prison term.
The four were under Iranian intelligence's watchful eye for a minimum of four months, beginning in January 2022, until they were apprehended in May of the same year. They initially said they were transferred from a neighboring country to Iran, according to the state-run news agency IRNA.
Conflict Between Nations
For years, the two nations have been engaged in a covert conflict due to Iran's refusal to recognize Israel.
In the southeast region of Sistan-Baluchistan in Iran, Reuters reported that a man found guilty of working with Mossad was put to death on December 16.
In December 2022, four individuals accused of cooperating with Israel's intelligence agencies were also executed by hanging, according to Al Jazeera.
Israel is being held responsible by Iran for a series of strikes and killings that were aimed at its nuclear program. Israel was allegedly involved in one of the largest sabotage plots against Iran's missile and defense industries in August, claimed Iran.
Iran's Execution Record
Human rights organizations claim that, with the exception of China, Iran is the country that carries out the most executions annually.
In May, Volker Turk, a United Nations' senior human rights investigator, asserted that Iran's execution record for 2023 was "abominable," with almost ten individuals being beheaded weekly on average.
Iran has carried out more than 600 executions this year, the highest number in eight years, according to a study released in November by the Iran Human Rights organization headquartered in Norway. The UN said 972 death sentences were carried out by Iran in 2015.