Overview

• Iran’s judiciary announced the detention of 20 individuals suspected of operating for Mossad in recent months.
• Spokesman Asghar Jahangiri said the courts will show no leniency, promising firm verdicts to make examples of accused spies.
• Investigators dropped charges against an unspecified number of suspects, who were subsequently released ahead of further questioning.
• On Wednesday, nuclear scientist Rouzbeh Vadi was executed after conviction for passing classified information to Israel under the new espionage law.
• Since Parliament’s July legislation expanded espionage punishments to include the death penalty, eight convictions have been carried out this year.