IRAN, Dec 16: Iran executed an individual accused of spying for Israel on Saturday, following a death sentence issued by the judiciary. The undisclosed man was put to death in Zahedan prison, located in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, according to the judiciary's Mizan Online website.

The executed individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, was convicted of charges related to "intelligence cooperation and espionage for the benefit of the hostile Zionist regime (Israel)." Additionally, he was found guilty of "collecting and providing classified information to the Mossad spy service to disrupt public order," as reported by Mizan.

Details regarding the arrest and trial, including the date and location, were not immediately available.

Iran has previously declared the arrest of individuals alleged to be working as agents for foreign countries, particularly Israel, its longstanding regional adversary. In December 2022, the Islamic Republic executed four people convicted of collaborating with Israel's intelligence services.

The ongoing tension between Iran and Israel, who do not recognize each other diplomatically, has manifested in a protracted shadow war. Tehran has accused Israel of orchestrating sabotage attacks and assassinations targeting its nuclear program.

Simultaneously, the United States and Israel have accused Iran of employing drones and missiles to attack US forces and ships associated with Israel in the Gulf region.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have consistently reported Iran as having one of the highest annual execution rates globally, second only to China. According to a November report from the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group, Iran executed over 600 individuals in the current year, marking the highest figure in eight years. Executions in Iran are predominantly carried out by hanging.