Iran has executed the alleged head of a Mossad-affiliated cyber team, along with other operatives accused of espionage, in a sweeping crackdown targeting Israeli intelligence networks amid rising regional tensions. According to the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, Mohammad Amin Shayesteh, arrested in late 2023, was hanged after being convicted of leading a cyber network accused of collaborating with Israel’s Mossad. Iranian authorities said Shayesteh was involved in activities threatening national security and was operating under direct foreign intelligence directives.
Separately, Mizan News Agency, affiliated with Iran’s judiciary, confirmed the execution of another individual, Majid Mousavi, who was found guilty of attempting to relay classified information to Israeli intelligence. His sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court and carried out on Sunday morning. The date of his arrest was not disclosed.
These executions follow U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure and mark a sharp escalation in Iran’s counterintelligence response. Since June 13, when Israeli attacks intensified, Iran has executed at least three individuals accused of spying for Mossad, including Ismail Fekri, convicted of efsad fil-arz (“corruption on earth”) and moharebeh (waging war against God)—charges carrying the highest penalties under Iranian law.
Iranian state media described the executions as a decisive message to hostile intelligence agencies, portraying them as a national security imperative. The developments underscore a widening covert conflict as Iran faces mounting external pressure and engages in intensified internal security operations.
With tensions surging across the Middle East, analysts warn that the region is entering a more volatile and unpredictable phase, driven by escalating intelligence warfare and retaliatory actions.
