TEHRAN – Iranian authorities have executed six people and arrested over 700 others in a sweeping national crackdown following the recent conflict with Israel. Officials claim those targeted were involved in espionage for Israeli intelligence agencies. Human rights groups, however, warn the response may be aimed at silencing dissent and tightening internal control.
The crackdown began during the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel that started on June 13. Authorities said the executions and mass arrests followed what they described as “unprecedented infiltration” of Iran’s security institutions by Israeli agents.
According to Iranian officials, the killings of senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and nuclear scientists during the conflict were orchestrated by Mossad operatives with help from local informants. In response, the government carried out three executions during the fighting and an additional three immediately after the ceasefire.
Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence has declared a “relentless battle” against foreign intelligence networks. State broadcaster IRIB has aired footage of alleged confessions from detainees accused of spying for Mossad, the CIA, and MI6. Media sources reported the arrests of “more than 700 individuals” tied to what it calls an “Israeli spy network” operating inside Iran.
Rights groups have raised alarm over the confessions, citing Iran’s record of coercive interrogation and rushed legal proceedings. Activists fear more executions are imminent.
In recent days, Iranians reported receiving threatening text messages from the Intelligence Ministry. The messages warned users to stop engaging with pro-Israel social media pages or face prosecution.
The crackdown has also extended to journalists and activists both inside and outside Iran. According to reports from Iran International, the IRGC detained the parents and brother of one of its TV presenters in Tehran. The journalist later received a phone call from her father, under duress, urging her to resign.
Media reported on the threats. Security agents contacted their relatives and referred to the journalists as mohareb, or “enemies of God” a charge that carries the death penalty under Iranian law. Staff have have faced comparable threats. In some cases, relatives were reportedly warned of espionage charges if ties to the networks continued.
These tactics follow a familiar pattern, analysts say, echoing methods used during earlier periods of internal repression. Iran’s internet access remains heavily restricted following the conflict. Key platforms like Telegram, X , YouTube, and Instagram remain blocked, accessible only through VPNs.
The targeting has not been limited to alleged spies or journalists. Dozens of artists, writers, and activists have been detained without charge. Others connected to victims of the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests have also been arrested.
Observers have drawn parallels to the government’s actions in the late 1980s. In 1988, thousands of political prisoners were executed after brief, secretive hearings. Many were buried in mass graves, according to documentation by international human rights organizations.
Now, with Iran facing internal pressure and global scrutiny following the war with Israel, critics fear another cycle of repression may be underway.
Iranian authorities maintain that the arrests and executions are necessary for national security. The Ministry of Intelligence insists that the country’s sovereignty was compromised by foreign actors, and that current actions are a lawful response to espionage and terrorism.
No independent legal observers have been allowed to assess the trials or verify the confessions broadcast on state television. Human rights monitors continue to call for transparency and accountability as arrests and executions continue across the country.
