Iran executes four men linked to alleged Israeli intelligence plot

Iran carried out the execution of four individuals on Monday, following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of appeals, as reported by Iranian state media. They faced allegations of plotting a bomb attack under orders from Israel’s Mossad agency. Convicted of illegally entering Iran from Iraq’s northern Kurdish region, the men were accused of planning an attack on a factory in Isfahan, central Iran, producing equipment for the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics. The thwarted operation was slated for the summer of 2022. “The death sentence of four members of a group affiliated with the Zionist spy organisation… was carried out this morning,” revealed Mizan Online, the Iranian judiciary’s website. Iran and Israel, longstanding adversaries, are currently in a dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. Israel alleges Iran’s support for armed groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, while Iran accuses Israel of orchestrating the killing of Iranian officials and scientists. In a concerning trend, Iran consistently ranks second only to China in annual executions, predominantly by hanging. Last December, three men and one woman were executed for alleged Mossad links. Additionally, an Iranian man, Mohammed Ghobadlou, was executed last week for participating in antigovernment protests in late 2022, despite concerns about his mental health. The United Nations’ human rights agency expressed alarm over unfair trial proceedings in Ghobadlou’s case and other instances lacking due process. The agency noted an unprecedented surge in executions in Iran, with at least 834 reported in 2023, including eight associated with nationwide protests. UN human rights chief Volker Turk characterized Iran’s execution record as “abominable,” with over 10 people hanged weekly. The experts urge the Iranian government to halt this disturbing wave of executions. (with inputs from Agencies)