Iran hangs four accused of spying for Israel
ERBIL, Kurdistan region - Iran executed four individuals on charges of espionage for Israel’s Mossad intelligence service on Friday morning, the Iranian judiciary’s Mizan Online news agency announced on the same day.
"Four members of a sabotage team associated with the Zionist regime were executed in West Azerbaijan province,” read a statement from Mizan.
According to the Iranian judiciary four individuals were “engaged in sabotage operations, armed kidnappings, and espionage, all under the support of Mossad's services.”
According to Mizan, the individuals who were charged with “waging war and corruption on earth through intelligence collaboration with the Zionist regime to disrupt the country's security,” are Vafa Hanareh, Aram Omari, Rahman Parhazo and Nasim Namazi.
Iran claims that these individuals have received “exaggerated rewards” from Israel for their missions inside Iran, adding that Hanareh was a “key element” of Mossad’s intelligence operations in the country.
On December 16, Iran's state media IRNA, reported the execution of one individual on charges of espionage for Israel in Sistan and Baluchestan province, without revealing the identity of the individual.
In its annual world report on global rights conditions for the year 2022 published in early January, Human Rights Watch accused Iran of conducting unfair trials and obtaining confessions under duress, as well as targeting dual and foreign nationals with vague accusations such as “cooperating with a hostile state.”
“Iranian courts, and particularly revolutionary courts, regularly fall far short of providing fair trials, and use confessions likely obtained under torture as evidence in court,” the report read.
"Four members of a sabotage team associated with the Zionist regime were executed in West Azerbaijan province,” read a statement from Mizan.
According to the Iranian judiciary four individuals were “engaged in sabotage operations, armed kidnappings, and espionage, all under the support of Mossad's services.”
According to Mizan, the individuals who were charged with “waging war and corruption on earth through intelligence collaboration with the Zionist regime to disrupt the country's security,” are Vafa Hanareh, Aram Omari, Rahman Parhazo and Nasim Namazi.
Iran claims that these individuals have received “exaggerated rewards” from Israel for their missions inside Iran, adding that Hanareh was a “key element” of Mossad’s intelligence operations in the country.
On December 16, Iran's state media IRNA, reported the execution of one individual on charges of espionage for Israel in Sistan and Baluchestan province, without revealing the identity of the individual.
In its annual world report on global rights conditions for the year 2022 published in early January, Human Rights Watch accused Iran of conducting unfair trials and obtaining confessions under duress, as well as targeting dual and foreign nationals with vague accusations such as “cooperating with a hostile state.”
“Iranian courts, and particularly revolutionary courts, regularly fall far short of providing fair trials, and use confessions likely obtained under torture as evidence in court,” the report read.