Iran Espionage Case Count: 1,895 Accused of Aiding Foreign Powers

Iranian courts have active espionage cases against at least 1,895 people, according to Ali Kazemi, the spokesman for the judiciary.

Kazemi stated earlier this month that these individuals are accused of cooperating with Israel or other hostile states. The group includes 94 media workers. This figure reflects a sharp acceleration in national security prosecutions since the end of the 12-day war in June 2025.

Police announced at least 21,000 arrests following that June conflict. Another 50,000 people were detained in connection with the protests that began in January 2026. The human rights group Iran Human Rights recorded 16 executions of espionage defendants between January and September this year. Amnesty International reported at least 34 executions linked to the January protests by October 13.

The surge in charges follows two major military engagements between Iran and the United States and Israel. Saeid Golkar, an associate professor of political science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, cited the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28 as evidence of genuine security threats. He noted that the government has historically used real or perceived security risks to justify repression. The current crackdown combines counterintelligence efforts with a broader effort to intimidate society, he said.

Former Mossad director David Barnea added to these suspicions in remarks made on October 22 in Israel. He said he approved the entry of dozens of agents into Iran in the weeks before the June 2025 war. Barnea stated that some agents remained in Tehran living normal lives. He claimed Israeli intelligence released footage of agents bearing a Mossad logo shortly after the war began. This move led to the arrest of thousands of people with no connection to the service, he said.

Legal penalties for communication offenses have also increased. Sending images or information to networks deemed hostile, such as BBC Persian, can result in 10 to 15 years in prison. When combined with other offenses, these actions can lead to charges of corruption on Earth, which carry the death penalty. Authorities have labeled Starlink terminals a tool of war and have attempted to confiscate or jam devices smuggled into the country.

Internet access has been cut off for large portions of the population multiple times. A near-total shutdown affected 90 million people for several days during the 12-day war in 2025. Another blackout lasted 20 days during the January protests. The current war has seen an internet cut that has persisted for 88 days.

Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, acknowledged Tehran's legitimate concerns about infiltration. She emphasized a fundamental distinction between espionage and dissent. Criticizing the government or reporting on its failures does not automatically amount to espionage, she said. Yet authorities have increasingly blurred the line between the two categories.

Golkar described the Islamic Republic as a security-dominated regime. He argued that counterespionage has become a tool to protect the ruling establishment and expand the influence of security institutions. The regime treats nonviolent dissent as a potential threat to its survival, he said.