Iran hangs man convicted of spying for Israel: judiciary

Iranian authorities hanged a man on Wednesday after convicting him of spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency since 2022, the judiciary said.

"Babak Shahbazi... was executed by hanging this morning following due legal process and the confirmation of his sentence by the Supreme Court," the judiciary's Mizan Online news website said.

It was not immediately clear when Shahbazi was arrested but Mizan said he was sentenced to death for the capital offences of "corruption on earth" and "waging war against God".

Mizan reported that he was involved in the design and installation of industrial cooling systems for companies linked to military, security and telecommunications organisations and facilities.

His access to these sites enabled him "to provide information to the Mossad in exchange for money and residency in a foreign country," it added.

Activists however said Shahbazi was detained over writing a letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offering his help.

Iran has supplied Russia with drones that Moscow has used to attack Ukraine.

The group Iran Human Rights had warned Shahbazi could be executed.

“Babak’s message to President Zelenskyy offering to help in the war against Russia was used as an example of espionage for Israel who they claim taught Babak to use Microsoft Word,” the group said. Iran did not acknowledge that claim.

Activists had described Shahbazi as offering to fight for Ukraine.

Since its June war with Israel, Iran has vowed swift justice for people accused of collaborating with its arch foe.

In August, authorities executed Roozbeh Vadi -- who worked at a subsidiary of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran -- after convicting him of handing over information about Iranian nuclear scientists and facilities.

In late July, Iran's intelligence agency said it had arrested "20 spies, Mossad operational and support agents, and elements connected to the (Israeli) regime's intelligence officers in Tehran" as well as several other provinces.

Iran is the world's second-most prolific executioner after China, according to human rights groups, including Amnesty International. 

Iran carried out executions at “an alarming rate” in 2024, with at least 975 people killed, according to a U.N. report that also cited other human rights abuses, from barriers to freedom of expression to the use of torture and arbitrary detention.