Iran executes alleged Mossad spy: Horrifying torture claims revealed

On Wednesday, Iranian authorities executed 34-year-old Mohsen Langarneshin, a political prisoner convicted of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. The execution followed allegations by Iranian security forces that Langarneshin was recruited by Mossad in late 2020, engaging in clandestine meetings with operatives in Georgia and Nepal. He was accused of collecting intelligence on high-ranking officials, identifying target locations, and procuring equipment linked to the May 2022 assassination of IRGC officer Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, who was killed by gunmen on motorcycles outside his Tehran residence.

Langarneshin’s family vehemently denied the charges, claiming his confession was extracted through severe physical and psychological torture. Despite three appeals for a retrial, Iranian courts upheld the conviction, dismissing the family’s pleas. In a voice message recorded from prison before his execution, Langarneshin revealed the intense coercion he faced: “They put me under so much pressure. They threatened to arrest my entire family and hold them until I wouldn’t recognize them.” He insisted that he was compelled to falsely admit to purchasing a motorcycle fitted with a camera and transporting explosives.

The case highlights longstanding concerns about Iran’s treatment of political detainees. Since the Islamic Republic’s establishment in 1979, human rights organizations have documented systemic abuses, including torture, prolonged solitary confinement, and coerced confessions, often resulting in severe trauma or death. Iran Human Rights Watch condemned the use of televised confessions as a propaganda tool, noting that such statements are frequently obtained through duress, including threats against detainees’ families or promises of leniency. These tactics, the group argues, are designed to instill fear and justify harsh sentences against political opponents and activists, underscoring Iran’s ongoing suppression of dissent.