An Iranian court has sentenced three individuals to death for their involvement in the 2020 assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a senior Iranian nuclear and defense scientist, according to a statement from the Iranian judiciary. Fakhrizadeh, a prominent figure in Iran’s nuclear development program, was killed east of Tehran in November 2020. Iranian authorities claim the plot involved equipment smuggled into the country under the guise of transporting alcoholic beverages.
Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir stated in a press conference that the individuals were found guilty of procuring equipment used in the operation, which he alleged was connected to espionage activities linked to the “Zionist regime” – a term frequently used by Iranian officials to refer to Israel. Iran has accused Israel of orchestrating the assassination, which involved a remote-controlled weapon purportedly using artificial intelligence and satellite guidance. Shortly after Fakhrizadeh’s assassination, Iranian military officials reported that the high-tech weapon was operated remotely without on-the-ground assistance, intensifying suspicions of foreign involvement.
As part of a broader crackdown on alleged espionage activities, Iranian security forces have detained eight additional suspects in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan. Among those arrested, three individuals were charged with direct collaboration with foreign intelligence services, allegedly transferring the equipment used in the attack.
The sentences come amid escalating regional tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and repeated allegations by Tehran of targeted assassinations against its scientists. While the Iranian government has pledged to continue monitoring for espionage activities across its provinces, no further details about the identities or nationalities of the convicted individuals were provided.
