By: Fern Sidman

Iranian authorities announced on Saturday that they have detained 20 individuals accused of working for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency over recent months, vowing that those convicted will face severe punishment, Israel National News reported, citing details from Reuters and state-run Iranian media.

The announcement comes just days after the execution of Iranian nuclear scientist Rouzbeh Vadi, who was convicted of espionage for Israel and of passing intelligence about another nuclear scientist killed in June during Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory. According to the information provided in the Israel National News report, Vadi’s case was emblematic of the heightened tensions between Tehran and Jerusalem, with Iran portraying his conviction as proof of deep Israeli infiltration into sensitive nuclear and defense circles.

Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangiri told reporters in Tehran that while some of the 20 detained had been released after charges were dropped, the judiciary would pursue the remaining cases to the fullest extent possible under Iranian law. Jahangiri did not specify the exact number of those freed, nor did he provide details on the alleged roles of the remaining suspects.

“The judiciary will show no leniency toward spies and agents of the Zionist regime, and with firm rulings, will make an example of them all,” Jahangiri was quoted as saying by Israel National News.

He added that further information on the ongoing cases would be made public once investigations had been completed.

As Israel National News has repeatedly documented, Iran has a long-standing pattern of accusing Israel of carrying out sabotage, assassinations, and intelligence operations inside the country — particularly against figures linked to its nuclear and missile programs. Tehran frequently announces arrests of suspected Mossad operatives, with many facing swift trials and capital punishment.

In January 2023, Iranian officials stated that they had executed a man accused of orchestrating a drone attack on a Defense Ministry facility in central Iran. Authorities alleged that the individual was operating as a Mossad officer and had provided critical logistical and operational support for the strike.

Just one month earlier, in December 2022, Iran claimed to have executed four individuals charged with spying for Israel. State media asserted that the men had met directly with Mossad chief David Barnea, undergone training in Africa, and infiltrated Iran via the country’s Kurdish region bordering Iraq. According to the information contained in the Israel National News report, Tehran presented these cases as evidence of foreign-backed plots to destabilize the Islamic Republic through clandestine action.

In another high-profile case in December 2023, Iran’s judiciary announced the execution of an “Israeli Mossad spy” in the country’s southeast. While officials provided few operational details, the case was used to reinforce the government’s narrative of an unrelenting intelligence war with Israel.

The latest wave of arrests appears to coincide with intensified regional hostilities and heightened suspicion within Iran’s security apparatus. In May of this year, Tehran executed 41-year-old Pedram Madani, accusing him of espionage on behalf of Israel. Madani’s conviction and death sentence were carried out swiftly, with Iranian state television broadcasting segments portraying him as a key operative in Mossad-linked activities.

The Israel National News report noted that the Wednesday execution of nuclear scientist Rouzbeh Vadi marked another significant development in this ongoing confrontation. Iranian authorities accused Vadi of passing sensitive information about the movements and activities of another unnamed nuclear scientist, who was subsequently killed in Israeli airstrikes earlier this year. Iran maintains that such strikes — alongside cyberattacks and assassinations — are part of a long-running Israeli campaign to slow or derail its nuclear ambitions.

Iranian officials have made it clear that publicizing arrests, convictions, and executions serves not only as domestic deterrence but also as a signal to foreign intelligence services. Jahangiri’s statement that suspects will be made “an example” underscores the government’s intent to frame these cases as both legal proceedings and political messages.

While no independent verification of Tehran’s claims is possible — and Israel routinely refuses to comment on such allegations — the report at Israel National News emphasized that the Mossad is widely believed to have carried out numerous operations inside Iran over the past two decades, including the 2020 killing of senior nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and a series of explosions at military and industrial sites.

According to Iranian state reports cited by Israel National News, interrogations of the remaining detainees are ongoing. Authorities have not disclosed the specific evidence allegedly linking them to Mossad, nor have they indicated whether the suspects were Iranian nationals, foreign operatives, or a combination of both. In previous cases, Tehran has accused Mossad of recruiting Iranians through a mix of ideological persuasion, financial incentives, and covert training abroad.

The latest detentions come amid a fraught geopolitical backdrop. Relations between Iran and Israel remain deeply adversarial, with each side accusing the other of aggressive covert activities. Israel views Iran’s nuclear program as an existential threat and has publicly declared that it will act — militarily if necessary — to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. Iran insists its program is peaceful, but its advances in uranium enrichment and missile technology have fueled international alarm.

For Tehran, the narrative of foiling Mossad plots serves both foreign policy and domestic political purposes, reinforcing its claims of resilience against foreign aggression. For Israel, these incidents highlight the ongoing risks faced by its intelligence services and the strategic priority of countering Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

As the report at Israel National News observed, the interplay of arrests, executions, and public statements from both governments reflects the shadow war that continues to shape Middle Eastern security dynamics — one fought as much through secrecy and subterfuge as through open military confrontation.