Iran executes man it says spied for Israel, activists say false confession

Iranian judiciary’s quality outlet Mizan reports Babak Shahbazi relayed accusation astir high-security Iranian sites to Israeli handlers.

Iran has executed a antheral it alleges spied for Israel arsenic the state continues its propulsion to basal retired those it says collaborated with Israel during Iran’s caller 12-day struggle with Israel and the United States, according to a study from authorities media.

The judiciary’s Mizan quality bureau connected Wednesday identified the executed antheral arsenic Babak Shahbazi, who it claimed had gathered and sold delicate accusation astir Iranian information centres and information installations to Israeli handlers.

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That assertion is disputed by activists, who accidental helium was tortured into making a mendacious confession. They accidental Shahbazi was arrested for penning a missive to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, offering his help.

Iran has supplied Russia with drones that Moscow has utilized to onslaught Ukraine.

The radical Iran Human Rights had warned Shahbazi could beryllium executed.

“Babak’s connection to President Zelenskyy offering to assistance successful the warfare against Russia was utilized arsenic an illustration of espionage for Israel, who they assertion taught Babak to usage Microsoft Word,” the radical said, according to The Associated Press quality agency. Iran did not admit that claim.

Activists had described Shahbazi arsenic offering to combat for Ukraine.

State media said Shahbazi had worked alongside Esmaeil Fekri, different convict executed successful June for spying for Israel since aboriginal 2022.

The defendant’s lawyer had requested an entreaty to the Supreme Court, which rejected the request.

Iran did not elaborate connected however it executed Shahbazi, though condemned prisoners typically are hanged.

Entangled successful a decades-long shadiness warfare with Israel, and a full-blown struggle this June, Iran has enactment to decease galore individuals it accuses of having links with Israel’s Mossad quality work and facilitating its operations successful the country.

Wednesday’s execution marks the ninth idiosyncratic that Iran has hanged for espionage since its 12-day struggle with Israel and the US, prompting fears from activists that the authorities could behaviour a question of executions.

Israel’s violative successful June progressive 12 days of aerial attacks, including respective that targeted Iran’s apical generals and atomic scientists, arsenic good arsenic civilians successful residential areas, for which Iran retaliated with barrages of missiles and drones. The US besides carried retired extended strikes, connected Israel’s behalf, connected Iranian atomic sites during the conflict.

Iran has, since the war, pledged swift trials for radical arrested connected suspicion of collaborating with Israel.