Iran Executes 'Mossad Agent' in Sistan-Baluchistan

A handout picture provided by the Iranian Army office on December 10, 2023, shows Iranian army officials inspecting Iranian homemade Karrar drones displayed next to a banner reading in Persian "Death to Israel" during an inauguration ceremony in Tehran. (Photo by Handout / Iranian Army office / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the Iranian Army office on December 10, 2023, shows Iranian army officials inspecting Iranian homemade Karrar drones displayed next to a banner reading in Persian "Death to Israel" during an inauguration ceremony in Tehran. (Photo by Handout / Iranian Army office / AFP)
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Iran Executes 'Mossad Agent' in Sistan-Baluchistan

A handout picture provided by the Iranian Army office on December 10, 2023, shows Iranian army officials inspecting Iranian homemade Karrar drones displayed next to a banner reading in Persian "Death to Israel" during an inauguration ceremony in Tehran. (Photo by Handout / Iranian Army office / AFP)
A handout picture provided by the Iranian Army office on December 10, 2023, shows Iranian army officials inspecting Iranian homemade Karrar drones displayed next to a banner reading in Persian "Death to Israel" during an inauguration ceremony in Tehran. (Photo by Handout / Iranian Army office / AFP)

Iran on Saturday executed a man who was sentenced to death after being convicted of working with Israel's intelligence services, the judiciary said.

"The death sentence was carried out this morning against a spy of the Zionist regime in Zahedan prison" in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

According to AFP, it did not identify the man but said he had been convicted of "intelligence cooperation and espionage for the benefit for the hostile Zionist regime (Israel)".

He was also found guilty of "collecting and providing classified information to the Mossad spy service with the aim of disrupting public order", Mizan added.

It was not immediately clear when or where the man was arrested or put on trial.

Iran has previously announced the arrests of alleged agents working for foreign countries, including Israel, its regional arch-foe.

In December 2022, Iran hanged four people who had been convicted of collaborating with Israel's intelligence services.

Tehran accuses Israel of carrying out a wave of sabotage attacks and assassinations targeting its nuclear program.

The United States and Israel accuse Iran of using drones and missiles to attack US forces and Israel-linked ships in the Gulf.

According to human rights groups, including Amnesty International, Iran executes more people per year than any other nation except China.



US Issues New Sanctions Targeting Chinese Importers of Iranian Oil

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of Donald Trump and the US and Iran flags are seen in this illustration taken January 15, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of Donald Trump and the US and Iran flags are seen in this illustration taken January 15, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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US Issues New Sanctions Targeting Chinese Importers of Iranian Oil

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of Donald Trump and the US and Iran flags are seen in this illustration taken January 15, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed miniature model of Donald Trump and the US and Iran flags are seen in this illustration taken January 15, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

The United States on Wednesday issued new sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports, including against a China-based "teapot refinery", as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to ramp up pressure on Tehran.
The US Treasury Department said in a statement the action would increase pressure on Chinese importers of Iranian oil as Trump seeks to restore his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, which includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero, Reuters reported.
The action comes as the Trump administration has relaunched negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program this month, with talks in Oman last weekend and a second round expected in Rome this weekend.
The Treasury on Wednesday said it imposed sanctions on a China-based independent "teapot" refinery it accused of playing a role in purchasing more than $1 billion worth of Iranian crude oil.
Washington also issued additional sanctions on several companies and vessels it said were responsible for facilitating Iranian oil shipments to China as part of Iran's "shadow fleet".
Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York and China's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
China does not recognize US sanctions and is the largest importer of Iranian oil. China and Iran have built a trading system that uses mostly Chinese yuan and a network of middlemen, avoiding the dollar and exposure to US regulators.
"Any refinery, company, or broker that chooses to purchase Iranian oil or facilitate Iran’s oil trade places itself at serious risk," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in the statement.

"The United States is committed to disrupting all actors providing support to Iran’s oil supply chain, which the regime uses to support its terrorist proxies and partners."
The Treasury on Wednesday also updated guidance for shipping and maritime stakeholders on "detecting and mitigating Iranian oil sanctions evasion," warning, among other things, that Iran depends on a vast shadow fleet to disguise oil shipments.
The Treasury said it was the sixth round of sanctions targeting Iranian oil sales since Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, which includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero in order to help prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
In his first 2017-21 term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also reimposed sweeping US sanctions.
Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal's limits on uranium enrichment.
Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian power purposes.
"All sanctions will be fully enforced under the Trump Administration’s maximum pressure campaign on Iran," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a separate statement on Wednesday.
"As long as Iran attempts to generate oil revenues to fund its destabilizing activities, the United States will hold both Iran and all its partners in sanctions evasion accountable."