Iran moves to punish ‘spying' as it proclaims victory over Israel, US

Al Jazeera

10 hours ago

Gilan, Iran – Iranian authorities are moving to allow for tougher punishment of cooperation with foreign governments after a 12-day war with Israel and the United States ended with a ceasefire on Monday.
In a late Tuesday written message addressed to the Iranian nation, President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed a 'historic victory' and said plans to sow 'discord and division' among Iranians would fail.
At the same time, the country's parliament and judiciary are advancing efforts to enforce more serious punishment against any action viewed as damaging to national security.
The Iranian parliament on Monday approved a plan to 'intensify punishment for espionage and collaborators with the Zionist regime [Israel] and hostile countries against national security and interests'.
Alireza Salimi, a member of the presiding board of the parliament, said 'any intelligence or espionage activity or practical action' that would favour Israel, the US and others could, as part of the proposal, be considered an example of 'corruption on Earth' – a crime that carries the death penalty.
The legislation also targets people linked to weapons 'that can kill or create chaos and terror', as well as those who receive money, property or cryptocurrencies in exchange for services to hostile states.
The bill is expected to 'give the security forces a freer hand', according to the lawmaker.
Asghar Jahangir, the Iranian judiciary spokesperson, told state television on Tuesday that the country's current law on espionage is too general, and might not cover the types of espionage Iran currently faces.
He said the current law would cause 'restrictions and limitations' for authorities who wish to punish people arrested during the war with Israel.
Increased arrests
In Urmia in northwest Iran's West Azerbaijan province, near the borders with Iraq and Turkiye, authorities on Wednesday morning executed three Iranians for collaborating with Israel.
They were convicted of moharebeh or 'waging war against God' and corruption on Earth, after being accused of bringing equipment used to assassinate Iranian officials over the border. The judiciary did not name the assassinated figures, but the executions are believed to be linked to the killing of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in November 2020 by Israel.
Iran has executed three other men, in three separate cases linked to spying for Israel, since the start of the war on June 13. More than 600 people were killed by Israeli attacks in Iran during the conflict, with many attacks – particularly those on the first night of bombing, when several Iranian military commanders were killed – linked to Israeli intelligence-gathering operations.
At least 700 arrests were made across the country in the 12 days of the war, according to local media, and authorities are announcing more arrests each day.
Amir Kholfian, the prosecutor general of Khuzestan province, in southwestern Iran bordering Iraq, said on Wednesday that indictments were issued against 23 people for 'sabotage acts' that included 'propaganda against the holy establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran'.
Similar arrests or cases have been announced in many provinces, with some of the latest including 115 arrests in Kermanshah to the west, 53 in Fars to the south, and 36 in Gilan to the north of Iran.
Amnesty International said last week that expedited trials and executions of those arrested for alleged collaboration with Israel 'show how the Iranian authorities weaponise the death penalty to assert control and instill fear among the people of Iran'.
The anti-execution global rights monitor said there is a heightened risk of execution for those already on death row, adding such suspects often undergo 'grossly unfair trials'.
Online dissent
Iranian authorities are also trying to crack down on any online activity that can be construed as favouring Israel and the US, including any support for their military strikes on Iran.
Some Iranians online have reported that they received an identical text message from the crime prevention department of the judiciary, telling them that membership in or following any online accounts affiliated with Israel is a crime punishable by law.
'Considering that your number has a record linked with the pages of the Zionist regime, you are warned to remove your supportive comments and likes and immediately leave those pages' or face punishment, the message reads.
And after Israel extensively used explosive quadcopters and other small drones to hit Iranian targets from inside the country, rules governing those aircraft are expected to be toughened as well.
The state-linked Fars news agency reported on Wednesday that the parliament approved the outlines of a plan to set punishments for people who own unlicensed drones.
Lawmakers also emphatically approved a plan to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which Iranian authorities claim acted in a way that paved the way for the US and Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities to take place.
The parliament members again shouted 'death to America' and 'death to Israel' after they voted, and parliament speaker and former military commander Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf vowed that the country will advance its nuclear programme stronger and faster than before.
Members of parliament have also expressed their support if Iran's Supreme National Security Council chooses to leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
US media outlets including CNN reported that US military strikes on Sunday failed to destroy the Iranian nuclear facilities buried deep in the mountains, which angered US President Donald Trump, who insisted that the sites were taken out.
The IAEA has said it is unaware of the location of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, including more than 408kg (900 pounds) of high-enriched 60 percent uranium.