People walk past a mural depicting Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Iranian late leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini on a street in Tehran, Iran, 06 January 2026. Iran is facing a wave of anti-government protests amid a deepening economic crisis, fueled by rising prices of basic goods and a sharp decline in the national currency, driven by regional tensions with Israel and the US, and longstanding US and EU sanctions. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH 
Entangled in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has executed many people it has accused of having links with Israel's intelligence service and facilitating its operations in the country.
"The death sentence of Ali Ardestani for the crime of espionage in favour of the Mossad intelligence service by providing the country's sensitive information was carried out after approval by the Supreme Court and through legal procedures," Mizan said.
Executions of Iranians convicted of spying for Israel have significantly increased this year, following a direct confrontation between the two regional enemies in June, when Israeli and U.S. forces struck Iran's nuclear facilities.
(Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)