Following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Israel, Iran has intensified its internal security operations, executing six individuals and detaining over 700 people accused of spying for foreign intelligence agencies, including Israel’s Mossad, the CIA, and Britain’s MI6 .
The crackdown spans multiple provinces—Kermanshah, Isfahan, Khuzestan, Fars, and Lorestan—with authorities describing it as a critical effort to dismantle what they claim is an extensive foreign spy network operating within Iran . Espionage is punishable by death under Iranian law, and officials allege that leaked intelligence enabled Israel to carry out high-profile assassinations, including the killings of senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and nuclear scientists .
Among those executed were three men reportedly involved in the 2020 assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a key figure in Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran attributes to Mossad . Three executions occurred during the conflict, and three more followed just one day after the ceasefire, signaling Tehran’s determination to continue its crackdown despite the truce .
State media has aired purported confessions from detainees admitting to collaboration with foreign agencies, but human rights groups warn that these statements may have been coerced through torture or duress, with trials lacking due process .
Beyond targeting alleged spies, Iranian authorities have ramped up pressure on exiled journalists, particularly those working for Persian-language outlets like BBC Persian, Iran International, and Manoto TV. Families of journalists have been detained and threatened to force resignations, with some labeled as "enemies of God"—a charge carrying the death penalty .
Ordinary citizens have also been swept up in the crackdown, receiving government warnings over social media activity linked to Israel. Meanwhile, activists fear the campaign could expand into broader political repression, echoing past crackdowns during periods of unrest .
“The rapid executions and mass arrests suggest a deliberate strategy to instill fear and suppress dissent,” said a human rights advocate, urging Iran to halt executions and ensure fair trials . As tensions persist, concerns grow over further escalations in surveillance and state-backed retaliation.
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