Tehran, Iran – The Iranian judiciary announced early this morning the execution of Iranian citizen Hamid Reza Sabet Esmaeilpour, after convicting him of spying for the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. He was also convicted of involvement in plots targeting defense and vital installations.
Details of activities and operations
According to the Iranian judiciary’s Mizan News Agency, Esmail Pour, who was arrested in May 2025, began his collaboration with Israel through digital communication with a Mossad officer.
The charges against him included purchasing and transporting equipment and vehicles in the provinces of Isfahan and Lorestan in preparation for what became known as “Operation Big,” which targeted missile facilities belonging to the Ministry of Defense. The investigation also revealed that some of the vehicles he transported contained explosives intended for use in sabotage operations. He also exploited partial access privileges to photograph classified security documents and hand them over to the Israeli side in exchange for money.
Implementation of the ruling and the regional context
The agency confirmed that the death sentence was carried out by hanging at dawn today after being upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court. The court ruled that the defendant provided intelligence and operational services that directly harmed Iranian national security. This is the second such sentence in a month, indicating a significant increase in the pace of executions in espionage cases since the spring of this year, coinciding with the peak of direct security and military tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
