Iranian Man Executed as Israeli Spy

Iran today hanged Ali-Akbar Siadat after convicting him of “spreading corruption on earth,” “supporting the Zionist regime,” and “opposing the Islamic republic" as a spy for Israel. According to Iranian authorities, Siadat met with Israel repeatedly over the course of six years, traveling to such far-flung destinations as Turkey, Thailand, and the Netherlands to pass along info about Iran’s military, including details about its Revolutionary Guard missile program.

Siadat allegedly received $3,000 to $7,000 for each information hand-off. He had been in jail since 2008, and was listed by opposition websites as a political prisoner, according to the New York Times. A second man was executed today as well—Ali Saremi, who was repeatedly convicted of supporting the Mujahedeen Khalq, an opposition group that the government says supports terrorist attacks in Iran. The 62-year-old had been imprisoned on and off for a total of 23 years, dating back to before the overthrow of the shah. (More Iran stories.)