Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran

Tehran, Jan 7: Protests sweeping across Iran entered the eleventh consecutive day on Wednesday, even as authorities reportedly executed a man accused of spying for Israel, amid a rising death toll linked to the demonstrations.

According to the Human Rights Activist News Agency, at least 36 people have lost their lives during the ongoing protests, of whom 34 were demonstrators, while two belonged to security and law enforcement forces. The demonstrations have reportedly spread to 92 cities across 27 provinces, highlighting the scale of public unrest.

The agency further stated that at least 2,076 people have been arrested since the protests began.

Meanwhile, Iran’s judiciary-linked media outlet Mizan confirmed that a man identified as Ali Ardestani was executed after being convicted of espionage in favour of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. The report said the execution was carried out after approval by Iran’s Supreme Court, following what it described as due legal process.

“The death sentence of Ali Ardestani for the crime of espionage in favour of the Mossad intelligence service by providing the country’s sensitive information was carried out after approval by the Supreme Court,” Mizan reported.

Iran and Israel have been engaged in a long-running shadow conflict, with Tehran frequently accusing Israel of covert operations within the country. In recent years, Iran has executed several individuals accused of links with Israeli intelligence.

Reports indicate that executions related to alleged espionage have increased significantly this year, following a direct confrontation in June when Israeli and US forces targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has also detained dozens of dual nationals and foreign citizens, mostly on espionage and security-related charges. However, human rights organisations and Western nations have accused Iran of using such arrests as leverage in diplomatic negotiations — a charge Tehran has repeatedly denied.