Reuters, citing the judiciary's Mizan news agency of Iran, reported on June 25 that Iran executed three more men on June 25, after they were convicted of collaborating with Israel's Mossad spy agency and smuggling equipment used in an assassination.
France 24 reports that June 25 executions brought to six the number of people executed on such charges since the start of the war between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel.
Since the start of this year, the executions have reportedly brought to nine the number of people executed by Iran on espionage charges.
Al Jazeera says 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 June 23.
The Iranian parliament on June 23 approved a plan to “intensify punishment for espionage and collaborators with the Zionist regime [Israel] and hostile countries against national security and interests”.
According to Al Jazeera, Alireza Salimi, a member of the presiding board of the parliament, said 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”, the lawmaker was cited as saying.
Meanwhile, BBC’s Russian Service reported on June 25 that more than 700 people have been arrested in Iran over the past two weeks on suspicion of having ties with Israel.
Israel launched its military operation on June 13, declaring its intention to dismantle Iran's nuclear program and eliminate leading nuclear scientists and senior military officials.
In response, Iran fired missiles at Israeli territory. On June 22, the U.S. Air Force conducted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Hostilities ceased on June 24, with Israel declaring that it had achieved all of its objectives and claiming victory, while the Iranian side reported successfully repelling the attacks.
