Iran carried out the execution of four individuals on Friday, including a woman, accused of being “saboteurs” linked to Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, as reported by the Mizan news agency affiliated with the judiciary. The executions bring the total to five people put to death this month in an ongoing clandestine conflict where Iran accuses Israel of targeting its nuclear activities, a claim Israel neither confirms nor denies.
The individuals executed in West Azerbaijan province were identified as Vafa Hanareh, Aram Omari, Rahman Parhazo, and Nasim Namazi. They were described as key figures in a case involving a total of 10 offenders. The fate of the remaining individuals involved in the case remains uncertain.
A nearly eight-minute video clip released by the official IRNA news agency showcased confessions from the executed individuals, detailing their alleged collaboration with a Mossad officer in Turkey using the names Tony and Arash. The confessions outlined missions that involved kidnappings, threats, arson, and theft of mobile phones targeting unspecified individuals.
The group had been under Iranian intelligence surveillance for at least four months, starting around January 2022 until their arrest in May, following their transfer from a neighboring country, as depicted in the video. One unidentified individual mentioned in the clip claimed, “They were training us for bigger assignments.”
Iran has repeatedly accused Israel of attacks on its nuclear facilities and the killing of nuclear scientists. However, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied these allegations. The execution follows a series of incidents, with Iran claiming Israel’s involvement in sabotage plots, arrests of alleged spy networks, and disruptions to sensitive locations.
The ongoing shadow war underscores the deep-rooted tensions between Iran and Israel, with both nations engaged in accusations and counter-accusations, contributing to a complex geopolitical landscape in the region.
