On Monday, Iran executed a man whom authorities described as “one of the most important spies for Israel.” Bahman Choubi-asl, according to the judiciary outlet Mizan, was convicted of espionage for Mossad. The charges against him included infiltrating sensitive telecommunications projects, providing access to government databases, breaching secure data centers, and tracking electronic import routes that Iran considered vital to national security.
Choubi-asl was reportedly arrested in an unnamed Persian Gulf country before being extradited to Iran for trial. His execution marks the 10th carried out by Tehran against individuals accused of spying for Israel since Iran’s 12-day war with Israel in June.
Earlier in August, Iran executed Rouzbeh Vadi, a nuclear scientist with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Authorities alleged Vadi supplied information to Israel that directly enabled the assassination of at least one nuclear scientist during the June 13th Israeli strike campaign.
Iranian officials say the 12-day war exposed the depth of Mossad’s infiltration. Thousands of alleged agents operated on the ground in Iran, reportedly aiding Israel by providing targeting coordinates, staging drone attacks from within Iranian territory, and conducting sabotage operations such as arson and car bombings. In the months since, Iranian security forces have carried out sweeping crackdowns. These have included dismantling clandestine drone workshops, mass deportations of Afghans allegedly recruited by Israeli intelligence, and offering conditional amnesty to those who surrendered and provided intelligence.
Authorities claim nearly 2,000 people have been detained since June, with around 700 still in custody facing trial on espionage and security charges.
Analysts argue that while Mossad has historically enjoyed deep penetration inside Iran, the recent wave of arrests and executions may weaken Israel’s intelligence networks in the country. Iranian officials insist that if another war breaks out—a prospect they say is inevitable—Israel may no longer have the same advantage of local assets and inside operatives that it leveraged earlier this year.