Hossein Pedaran Hanged; 15th Execution for Espionage in 2026

According to the judiciary’s Mizan News Agency, a man named Hossein Pedaran was executed. The report does not specify the location or date of the execution. He was sentenced to death on charges of “espionage and intelligence cooperation in favour of the Zionist regime.” A short clip of his forced confession was aired shortly after news of his execution.

Hossein had allegedly engaged in espionage by passing classified information regarding sensitive military sites, equipment and personnel in Isfahan province to the Israeli intelligence service, Mossad. Authorities asserted that the intelligence he supplied enabled targeted enemy strikes during the 12-Day and 40-Day Wars, resulting in casualties among military personnel. Regarding the circumstances of his arrest, authorities claim Hossein had temporarily severed contact with Mossad but attempted to re-establish communication via Telegram as soon as “enemy attacks commenced,” leading to his interception and detention by Iranian security agencies.

Hossein was indicted on multiple charges, including espionage and intelligence cooperation in favour of the Zionist regime, as well as “attempting intelligence cooperation with the hostile government of the United States” through an initial approach to the CIA.

According to the report, a state forensic medical evaluation concluded that the defendant suffered from no mental disorder causing a loss of free will or discernment, indicating that his defence had relied on arguments of diminished capacity or mental impairment. 

According to Hossein’s online accounts and website, he had a company called “iNoti” which specialised in affordable web design, digital resume creation, search engine optimisation and business consultancy. No independent information is available about his case.

At least fifteen people have been executed for espionage charges in 2026. Thirteen were accused of espionage for Israel and the United States, and two Iraqi nationals were accused of espionage for an unknown Arab country. 

According to IHRNGO’s 2025 Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran, at least 13 people were executed for charges related to espionage for Israel. The surge began in the lead-up to the Twelve-Day War in June 2025; two people were executed prior to the war, three during the war and the remainder were executed after the war. It is important to note that in some cases, the defendants were not originally arrested for espionage charges. They were coerced and tortured into making self-incriminating confessions that were later used as the basis of their sentences. In 2026, two executions were carried out in January and thirteen of the executions for espionage have been carried out since the 40-Day War.

Update, 19 September 2026: According to newly obtained information, Hossein Pedaran’s execution was carried out in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison. An informed source told IHRNGO: “Hossein was held in the Isfahan Intelligence detention centre for four months, after which he was transferred to Tehran Intelligence and then returned to Isfahan a month later. He spent a prolonged period in the security wing of this prison, which is equipped with CCTV throughout.”