In a move that signals intensifying internal crackdowns amid regional hostilities, Iran on Wednesday morning executed Kourosh Keyvani, a man convicted of espionage for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency.
The execution, carried out at dawn on March 18, 2026, follows a death sentence upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court.
Notably, Tehran’s latest execution comes as an addition to the rising number of death penalties assigned to Iranians in recent years. According to a report published by Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA), Iran executed at least 2603 people by assigning them the death penalty in 2025.
As per a report curated by HRANA, this represents a 119% increase compared to 2024.
While being assigned the ‘punishment of death’ is common in cases concerning national security in Iran, Keyvani’s case is particularly significant as it marks the first publicly announced execution since the start of the war in late February.
‘€30,000 in cash, sensitive footage, surveillance equipment’
According to the judiciary-linked Mizan News Agency, Keyvani was convicted of collecting and transmitting ‘images and information of sensitive locations’ to Mossad officers. As per the report published by local Iranian outlets, Keyvani was initially arrested in Savojbolagh County (Alborz Province) during the fourth day of the ‘12-Day War’ in June 2025.
Authorities claim to have confiscated €30,000 in cash, a Padra pickup truck, a cross motorcycle, and sophisticated satellite communication and surveillance equipment at the time of his arrest. He was accused of operating as a deep-cover asset, providing visual intelligence that Iranian officials claim assisted in targeting sensitive infrastructure.
How was Keyvani recruited by Mossad?
Intelligence reports cited by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency provide a rare glimpse into the alleged recruitment process of Israel’s Mossad. As per the report, Keyvani originally came onto Mossad’s radar in 2023 while in Sweden.
As per the report, Keyvani was initially recruited by Mossad through a ‘fake group travel’ opportunity. It is alleged that Keyvani presented his personal information to Mossad through an online advertisement for group travel.
Following Keyvani’s registration for the travel opportunity, he was met by an Israeli intelligence officer who reportedly established a “friendly relationship” with him online and then exploited Keyvani’s economic difficulties and financial status to recruit him.
State reports claim Keyvani received specialized training abroad before being redeployed to Iran to establish a clandestine communication network. “Keyvani’s execution on Wednesday marks a significant escalation in the domestic fallout of the ongoing Operation Roaring Lion, the joint US-Israeli campaign launched on February 28.
Although Keyvani was apprehended nearly nine months ago during the ’12-Day War’ in June 2025, his death sentence appears to have been fast-tracked as Tehran intensifies its crackdown on alleged ‘infiltrators’ during the current hostilities.”