Iran Executes Alleged US Spy Amid Torture Claims

Iran executed a man accused of espionage for the US, with allegations of collaboration with the CIA and Mossad, according to officials. Erfan Shakourzadeh, 29, a post-graduate student at Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran, was reportedly tortured after being convicted of aiding American and Israeli intelligence services by the Iranian judiciary. Human rights groups stated that Erfan denied the charges in a message before his execution. Authorities apprehended him in February 2025, accusing him of working with foreign powers. Rights groups in Norway described Erfan as an “elite student” who endured solitary confinement and torture to extract false confessions. He was executed at Ghezel Hesar prison outside Tehran after being transferred from Evin prison. Iranian officials claimed Erfan shared sensitive information with American and Israeli intelligence about satellite technology. In a published message, Shakourzadeh refuted the accusations, attributing false confessions to torture. His execution took place without notifying his family or allowing a final visit. Erfan is the fifth person executed on spying charges since the conflict with the US and Israel began.