Middle East

The war of spies. Iran arrests another European citizen

In the last few hours, some 40 people have been arrested on charges of espionage in Iran. Executed a prisoner accused of working for Israel

23 June 2025

Una foto diffusa dall’ufficio stampa dell’esercito iraniano il 23 giugno 2025 mostra il comandante in capo dell’esercito iraniano Amir Hatami (al centro) mentre partecipa a una riunione nella Sala Comando di Guerra dell’esercito iraniano, in una località sconosciuta. EPA/IRANIAN ARMY MEDIA OFFICE

3' min read

Another European citizen has been arrested in Iran for spying for Israel. This was reported by Tehran state TV, as the military escalation between Iran and Israel reached its 11th day. According to the broadcaster, which cites judicial sources, the alleged spy - "a citizen of a European country" - was arrested in the western province of Hamadan. State TV added that "the spy had entered the country disguised as a tourist with the mission of building a network of contacts, gathering information and disrupting Iran's offensive and missile systems".

Iranian police have arrested at least another 36 people in the country in recent hours, accused of suspected collaboration with Israel and plans to destabilise it, according to opposition sources abroad through the Iran International channel, citing a statement attributed to the Islamic Republic's own public security authorities. The arrests appear to have taken place in Gilan province, against the backdrop of the crackdown imposed by Tehran on the home front since the beginning of the escalation of Israeli attacks. The suspects are accused of spreading "disinformation", but also of directly cooperating with "hostile entities" through acts of sabotage and the use of drones to spy on Iranian military bases. The authorities claim to have seized communication devices, satellite receivers for the Internet connected to the Starlink network, and homemade explosive devices from them.

Executed on charges of espionage for Israel

Iran this morning executed a man accused of espionage on behalf of Israel. Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh had confessed to filming sensitive locations and sending threatening packages to people on behalf of the Mossad. The man had also collaborated with the Iranian dissident TV station, Iran International, according to the judiciary website Mizannews, and had met with Mossad agents in a neighbouring country.

In the past few days, a German tourist, now detained in Tehran's Evin prison on charges of espionage, had been imprisoned. This was reported by the Iranian news agency Mehr, with a video posted on Telegram late last night showing the arrest of a young cyclist in the northwestern province of Markazi, near the Arak nuclear plant. According to information from Dpa, the arrest took place last year. When questioned by the German news agency, the Foreign Ministry in Berlin would not comment. The man is accused of recording and transmitting coordinates and locations of sensitive military and nuclear facilities, Mehr says.

Cyprus, foiled Iran attempt on Israelis

In recent days, an attempted attack by Iran against Israeli citizens in Cyprus was foiled with the help of the Nicosia authorities. "The Revolutionary Guard Corps (the ideological army of the Islamic Republic) attempted to carry out an attack against Israeli citizens in Cyprus," Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar wrote in a message on X. "Thanks to the action of the Cypriot security authorities, in cooperation with the Israeli security services, the attack was foiled."

As part of the operation, a man suspected of espionage and terrorism was arrested in Cyprus, but the Cypriot police did not give details of the suspect citing national security reasons. The suspect, who appeared behind closed doors before a Limassol court, was remanded in custody for eight days on charges of 'offences related to, inter alia, terrorism and espionage'. Cypriot media reported that the man is of Azerbaijani origin and was spotted because of his suspicious behaviour near a British air base in Akrotiri, near the southern coastal city of Limassol.

According to the online newspaper Philenews, the man is believed to have links to 'Iranian agents' and arrived on the island last month posing as a British tourist. According to the same source, his arrest was made possible by a foreign intelligence service.

Another Azeri arrested in Greece on espionage charges

The Cypriot case is not the only Azerbaijani citizen implicated in suspicious activities. The Greek authorities have, in fact, arrested another Azerbaijani citizen on charges of espionage, after he was caught on Sunday taking photos at the Souda naval base on the north-western coast of the island of Crete. Kathimerini reports. Souda Bay hosts a base of the Hellenic Navy and Nato. The 26-year-old man, born in Azerbaijan and holding a Polish passport, was arrested during a joint operation by the National Intelligence Service (EYP) and the Hellenic police, according to sources in Kathimerini. The man had rented a room in a hotel last 18 June, paying in advance for a month's stay and requesting a view of Souda Bay. According to information, he hardly ever left the room. Digital evidence collected from his camera and laptop computer contained some 5,000 files on ships entering and leaving the base. The authorities,' Kathimerini writes, 'are investigating his possible connection with another Azerbaijani arrested a few days ago on the island of Cyprus, in Limassol, who is also suspected of espionage.