Paris (France): Iran on Wednesday executed a man arrested in April 2025 on charges of spying for Israel's espionage agency Mossad, the judiciary said.

Hamidreza Sabet Esmailpour, who had been convicted of passing information to a Mossad agent, was hanged at dawn, the judiciary's Mizan news agency said.

Rights groups have previously said 12 people have been hanged on similar charges in the wake of Israel's 12-day war with Iran in June.

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They have also expressed concern that protesters arrested in the wave of demonstrations this month could also face execution. The judiciary has already indicated some of those arrested could face charges of capital crimes.

Protests erupted in late December sparked by concern over the rising cost of living but turned into a mass movement against the Islamic republic that was followed by a crackdown that has seen at least thousands killed and tens of thousands arrested, according to rights groups.

Mizan said Esmailpour had been convicted of sharing intelligence with Mossad, purchasing equipment with the aim of helping Israel carry out "sabotage operations" at Iranian missile sites and moving vehicles rigged with explosives.

The last execution in Iran on charges of spying for Israel was on January 7 when a man named Ali Ardestani was put to death after being convicted of sharing information with Mossad.

Iran is the world's most prolific executioner after China, according to rights groups. Last year it hanged at least 1,500 people, according to figures from NGO Iran Human Rights.

Since the war, Iran has promised swift trials for those arrested on suspicion of collaborating with Israel.

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Iran, which does not recognise Israel, has long accused its foe of conducting sabotage operations against its nuclear facilities and assassinating its scientists.

But the June war exposed Israel's deep intelligence penetration of Iran, with several key Iranian military and security figures killed in targeted strikes based on intelligence over their whereabouts.

However, rights groups have long expressed concern that innocent people are executed on the basis of confessions obtained under torture, while Israeli agents carrying out the fieldwork remain undetected.

AFP