Iran Executes Four, Including Woman, for Alleged Links to Mossad

Oluwasegun SanusiDecember 29, 20231 Mins read172

Iran executed four individuals on Friday, alleging their involvement in acts of sabotage orchestrated by Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, as reported by the Mizan news agency affiliated with the judiciary.

The executed individuals were accused of being part of a “sabotage team” associated with Mossad, engaging in extensive actions targeting Iran’s security.

Among those executed were Vafa Hanareh, Aram Omari, Rahman Parhazo, and a woman identified as Nasim Namazi. They were labelled as the principal convicts in a case involving 10 offenders, although the fate of the remaining individuals remains unclear.

According to Iranian sources, the group was allegedly guided by Mossad officers operating under the aliases “Tony” and “Arash.” A video clip released by IRNA showcased confessions from the individuals, detailing their purported cooperation with a Mossad officer based in Turkey. Their activities reportedly included kidnappings, threats, arson on vehicles and homes, and the theft of mobile phones from unspecified targets.

The individuals had been under Iranian intelligence surveillance for approximately four months before their arrest in May following their transfer from a neighbouring country to Iran.

This execution adds to the tally of individuals put to death this month in what has been described as a long-standing shadow war between Iran and Israel. Iran has repeatedly accused Israel of attacks on its nuclear program and the targeted killing of nuclear scientists, although Israel has neither confirmed nor denied these allegations.

Instances of alleged espionage and sabotage between the two nations have escalated tensions, with Iran pointing fingers at Israel for various disruptions, including a “nuclear terrorism” incident at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in April 2021 and accusations of sabotage in Iran’s defense industry.

Israel, in turn, has faced accusations from Iran of orchestrating espionage networks and sabotage plots within Iranian territory, further fueling the conflict between the two nations.

The executions in West Azerbaijan province follow the mid-December execution of another individual accused of being a Mossad agent in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

Despite repeated accusations and counter-accusations, neither country has publicly acknowledged direct involvement in the covert operations attributed to them.

Source: REUTERS