In Tehran, Iranian authorities carried out the execution of a man whom they accused of collaborating with Israel’s espionage network and being involved in the 2022 assassination of a high-ranking Revolutionary Guard officer. The state-run news outlet, IRNA, disclosed the execution of Mohsen Langarneshin, alleging he played a significant role as a Mossad agent. Langarneshin, described as a “senior spy,” was accused of providing technical aid in the murder of Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, who was fatally shot by assailants on motorbikes near his residence in Tehran.
According to the report, Mossad enlisted Langarneshin’s services in 2020, during which time he purportedly met Israeli intelligence operatives in Georgia and Nepal. The agency claimed he assisted in the logistics for these operatives by securing safe houses across several cities in Iran, including Isfahan. This occurred ahead of an incident in January 2023, where Iran was attacked by drones armed with explosives targeting what it described as a military site. Iran has accused Israel of orchestrating the drone attack.
The report further noted that Langarneshin admitted his involvement in the Iranian Revolutionary Court. This court, known for delivering severe penalties to those opposing Iran’s clerical leadership, came into existence after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It is characterized by the provision of court-appointed attorneys and restricted media access.
The victim in the alleged plot, identified by local reports at the time of his death, had been labeled a “defender of the shrine,” which refers to Iranian forces combating extremist groups such as the Islamic State in conflict zones like Syria and Iraq. Khodaei operated within the Guard’s Quds force, an elite division responsible for carrying out foreign missions.