Iran | Student Aghil Keshavarz Hanged on Charges of Espionage for Israel

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 20, 2025: State media reported the execution of Aghil Keshavarz, an architecture student at Shahroud University. He had been arrested for “filming the army’s Urmia Infantry Division headquarters” and sentenced to death on the charge of espionage for Israel.

Condemning Aghil Keshavarz’s execution, Iran Human Rights calls on the international community to take practical action to halt executions in Iran.

IHRNGO Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, stated: “Aghil Keshavarz was sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court without a fair trial and on the basis of torture-tainted confessions. His execution is an extrajudicial killing, and Ali Khamenei and other officials of the Islamic Republic must be held accountable for this crime. The Islamic Republic’s goal in carrying out such executions is to intimidate Iran’s youth, who are considered the greatest threat to its rule.”

According to the judiciary’s Mizan News Agency, a man named Aghil Keshavarz was hanged at an undisclosed location on 20 December 2025. The 27-year-old student was arrested prior to the Israel-Iran war in June while “filming the army’s Urmia Infantry Division headquarters” and handed over to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) Intelligence Organisation. He was sentenced to death on charges of “espionage in favour of the Zionist regime and intelligence communication and cooperation with the regime.”

RELATED | Iran executes man who 'spied' for Israel; latest such execution

According to information obtained by IHRNGO, Aghil Keshavarz, an Isfahan native, was executed in Urmia (Darya) Central Prison after being transferred to the pre-execution solitary confinement cells on 18 December. Aghil and his family had refrained from making his case public due to threats from authorities. There are conflicting reports about the time of his arrest. While state media claim he was arrested in April/May (Ordibehesht), unofficial reports state he was arrested during the twelve-day war in June while on a trip to Urmia.

According to reports, he was held in the custody of the IRGC Intelligence Organisation in Urmia and subjected to torture to confess to spying for Israel. After a week, he was transferred to Evin Prison and was present during Israel’s attack on the prison. He was later moved to another detention facility and following the end of the interrogation period, he was transferred to Urmia Central Prison.

In addition to espionage for Israel, Mizan News Agency also accused Aghil Keshavarz of cooperating with the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI/MEK). “Investigations into the accused’s personal and family life showed that his family members had monarchist tendencies, and his uncle also had a history of membership in and support for the terrorist group known as the Monafeghin.”

The report further claimed that in 2022/2023 (1401), Aghil contacted one of the groups affiliated with the MEK on Telegram and carried out “operations,” including “sending images and writing slogans desired by the groups’ managers.” His alleged contacts with Israeli intelligence and security services were also online, and he had carried out “more than 200 missions” for Israel’s intelligence service.

Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death in late summer on the charge of “spying for Israel.” Aghil was informed that his sentence had been upheld by the Supreme Court days prior to his execution, per unofficial reports.

Aghil Keshavarz is the thirteenth man to be executed for alleged espionage for Israel in 2025 and the eleventh to be executed since the twelve-day war between Israel and Iran.

Since 30 April, the Islamic Republic has executed Mohsen Langarneshin, Pedram Madani, Esmail Fekri, Majid Mosayebi, Mohammad Amin Mahdavi Shayesteh, Edris Ali, Azad Shojaei, Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul, Rouzbeh Vadi, Babak Shahbazi, Bahram Choobi and Javad Naeimi.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, December 20, 2025

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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