Iran tightens penalties for espionage and cooperation with Israel and the USA

On October 1, 2025, Iran approved the tightening of criminal liability for charges of espionage and connections with Israel and the USA. The decision was made by the Guardian Council of the Islamic Revolution and was the result of months of discussions with the parliament.

New Law and Its Consequences

Since the bill was introduced to parliament in June, experts and human rights organizations have warned about the possible consequences of its application. Vague wording and severe punishments open the possibility for arbitrary accusations and mass executions, especially for actions that previously had less severe punishments or were not defined as espionage at all.

Powers of the SNSC

After the amendments, the law empowers the Supreme National Security Council to determine “hostile states and groups.” The Ministry of Intelligence is tasked with compiling a list of specific “hostile networks.”

Any “intelligence activities and operational actions” for such formations are now subject to the death penalty and confiscation of property. The document clearly names the USA and Israel as “hostile states,” and the SNSC is granted the right to expand this list.

Harsh Punitive Measures

Moreover, the law stipulates that all additional punishments, except for the death penalty, cannot be appealed or reviewed.

Criticism from the UN

Just a few days after the announcement of these new measures, UN human rights experts condemned the “sharp escalation” of executions in Iran. According to the UN, since the beginning of the year, Iranian authorities have carried out more than a thousand death sentences, the highest figure in the last 15 years, according to Amnesty International.

Number of Executions

According to figures, in recent weeks, numerous executions have been carried out daily in Iran, which also causes outrage in the international community. Experts emphasize that such practices contradict basic human rights protection standards.

This year, 10 death sentences have been carried out for espionage, eight of them since June 13, when Israel began an armed conflict against Iran. Since the publication of the report on September 29, Iranian authorities have executed another person for alleged espionage in favor of Israel.

Government’s Goals and Intentions

Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi noted that Iranian authorities aim to demonstrate the “violent face of the Islamic Republic.” She added that the goal is to intimidate the public so that it does not exploit the weakness of the political establishment to take to the streets.

Iran’s Position in the World

According to Amnesty International, Iran still ranks second in the world in the number of annual executions, second only to China. This information highlights the serious human rights violations in the country.