On Wednesday, Iran’s Judiciary confirmed that the executed a man convicted of espionage for “Israel’s” Mossad spy agency and involvement in the 2022 assassination of a Revolutionary Guards colonel.
The judiciary’s Mizan Online news website reported that Mohsen Langarneshin, described as “a high-ranking spy” who supported Mossad operations inside Iran, was hanged in the morning.
The report stated that he was implicated in the May 2022 assassination of Colonel Sayyad Khodai of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The execution of Mohsen Langarneshin aligns with Iran’s ongoing campaign to prosecute individuals purportedly affiliated with Mossad operations. In recent years, Iranian authorities have publicized numerous arrests and executions of those accused of collaborating with Israeli intelligence.
In December 2023, four individuals, including a woman, were executed for alleged acts of sabotage attributed to Mossad. Another person was put to death in Sistan-Baluchistan province for espionage.
In January 2024, four men were executed for conspiring to sabotage a Ministry of Defense facility in Isfahan, an operation Iran alleged was masterminded by Mossad.
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The Judiciary of Iran, which oversees such cases, operates under a legal framework that includes charges like “moharebeh” (waging war against God) and “corruption on Earth,” frequently applied in convictions related to espionage and security offenses.
The country maintains one of the highest execution rates worldwide, with human rights groups reporting over 600 executions in 2023.
Iran attributed the 2022 assassination of Colonel Sayyad Khodai, a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), to Israel, and Mohsen Langarneshin’s execution is tied to his alleged role in facilitating this operation.
