Iranian authorities executed 27-year-old Aghil Keshavarz on Saturday morning after convicting him of espionage charges related to Israel's Mossad intelligence agency. The judiciary's official news agency, Mizan, announced the hanging, marking the latest in a series of executions amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.
Keshavarz, an architecture student, faced accusations of close cooperation with Mossad and the Israeli military. Officials claimed he conducted over 200 missions, including photographing sensitive military and security sites in cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Urmia, and Shahroud.
He allegedly performed tasks like opinion polling and monitoring traffic patterns at targeted locations. Iranian state media reported that Keshavarz communicated with Israeli operatives through encrypted platforms.
Security forces arrested Keshavarz in May 2025 in the northwestern city of Urmia, approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran, while he was taking pictures of an army headquarters. A closed-door trial led to his death sentence, which the Supreme Court upheld. Iran has executed at least 10 individuals on similar espionage charges since the June 2025 conflict with Israel, which involved airstrikes and missile exchanges.
In October 2025, Iran amended its laws to impose automatic death penalties and asset confiscation for those convicted of spying for Israel or the United States, reflecting heightened national security measures.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns over the case. The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group stated that Keshavarz's confession was extracted under torture and criticized the lack of transparency in the trial process, where defendants often cannot access evidence against them.
No immediate official responses from Israel or other international entities were reported. The execution occurs against a backdrop of surging capital punishments in Iran this year, fueling debates on human rights and regional stability.