Iran says no leniency for alleged Israeli collaborators

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The head of Iran’s judiciary on Saturday said that suspects accused of collaborating with Israel in its war on Iran will face expedited trials and be given no leniency.

“The cases of elements associated with the Zionist enemy who were collaborators of the aggressor in the aggression of this evil and cruel regime must be concluded as soon as possible in accordance with the law, and no delay or procrastination is permissible in this matter. The current situation is a special one,” said Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, the Iranian judiciary’s media outlet Mizan reported.  

Since Israel attacked Iran on June 13, Iranian authorities have arrested dozens of people on suspicion of working for Israel.

Mohseni-Ejei said that processing of these cases should be expedited and quickly handed over to the judicial authorities.

“If the treacherous actions of these defendants are proven, they will immediately face severe punishment, and there will be no leniency or appeasement in this matter,” he said. 

Iran has released several confessions of people accused of cooperating with or spying for Israel. Such confessions are widely believed to be coerced, often obtained through threats, psychological pressure, and, in some cases, physical torture.

Amnesty International on Friday said it was concerned about these arrests and calls for expedited trials and executions. According to Amnesty, one man was executed on June 16.

The human rights monitor also raised concerns for those who were already on death row. Iran annually arrests numerous individuals on allegations of spying for Israel and, in many cases, sentences them to death.

Iranian authorities are also targeting foreigners in their search for suspected Israeli collaborators.

Tehran’s governor on Saturday announced an operation to remove unauthorized foreign nationals from the capital as a precaution to ensure public safety, reported the state-owned IRNA news agency. All law enforcement, transportation, and intelligence resources have been mobilized for the operation.

In Iran’s northern Gilan province, police arrested 15 undocumented foreign nationals during a surprise operation on Saturday, semi-official Mehr News Agency reported. More than 80 foreigners have been arrested in Qazvin province, northwest of Tehran, over the past two days, Tasnim reported on Friday. 

Iranian authorities have also arrested a European national accused of spying while traveling in the country as a tourist. 

The Supreme National Security Council announced a June 22 deadline for individuals who were “deceived” into cooperating with Israel, telling them to voluntarily turn themselves in to authorities in exchange for potential amnesty. After the deadline, anyone who collaborated with Israel during wartime will face a harsh punishment, it said.