Iran’s judiciary announced on Wednesday that Rouzbeh Vadi, a nuclear scientist and member of the Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute under the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, had been executed for allegedly spying for Israel.
Vadi, who held a doctorate in reactor engineering, had co‑authored a 2011 research paper with senior Iranian nuclear experts later killed during the June conflict with Israel, according to his Google Scholar profile.
According to the Telegram channel of Amir Kabir University, Vadi was a doctoral graduate of the university. He co-authored a paper with Abdolhamid Minouhchehr and Ahmad Zolfaghari, two prominent nuclear specialists killed during the 12-day war.
The judiciary said he was convicted of transferring classified information about one of the scientists killed in those attacks to Mossad.
Its official outlet Mizan reported that Vadi “knowingly and deliberately” cooperated with Israel’s intelligence service.
'Paid crypto'
Officials alleged he was recruited online, vetted by a Mossad officer using the alias Alex, and later assigned to a handler known as Kevin.
After his evaluation, Mossad allegedly determined that Vadi’s workplace and level of access made him a high‑value source,according to the judiciary.
He was then introduced to “one of Mossad’s top divisions.” At his request, payments were made monthly via a cryptocurrency wallet rather than a reward‑per‑mission system.
According to the case file, Vadi was instructed to buy a dedicated phone, laptop, and two flash drives to establish secure communications. After receiving technical training, he was tasked with gathering and transmitting sensitive and classified materials.
Widespread crackdown
Iran would “deal decisively and legally with spies,” referring to ongoing investigations following the June conflict with Israel, Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Tuesday during a visit to North Khorasan Province.
Ejei recently said that more than 2,000 people had been arrested during and after the 12-day war, some of whom face the death penalty on charges of “organizational collaboration with the enemy.”
Amnesty International condemned the surge in executions and warned of further imminent deaths.
Iran Human Rights reported that 21 people were executed during the June conflict period, including six men charged with spying for Israel.
Among earlier executions was Mohammad-Amin Mahdavi-Shayesteh, accused of leading a Mossad-linked cyber group.
According to Amnesty, Iran was responsible for 64 percent of all recorded executions worldwide in 2024, and has carried out 612 hangings in the first half of 2025 alone.
Meetings in Vienna
Following initial data transfers, Vadi was reportedly sent to Vienna, where he had previously attended professional training, to meet Mossad officers in person.
On five occasions, he allegedly met them in Austria’s capital under what Iranian authorities described as “high‑level security protocols,” including multiple location changes, vehicle swaps, body searches, and use of “special meeting clothing” before talks began.
During these meetings, Vadi underwent psychological testing and a polygraph exam to assess loyalty and information accuracy. He was then re‑tasked to provide weekly updates on organizational developments and answer technical questions, with payments adjusted accordingly.
The judiciary said Vadi resisted instructions to send large batches of data all at once but ultimately transferred a collection of classified material, including information on the slain nuclear scientist.
Arrest and trial
Iran’s intelligence services said they placed Vadi under surveillance after one of his trips to Vienna. He was eventually arrested in Tehran, and prosecutors charged him with “espionage and intelligence cooperation with the Zionist regime in exchange for a specified payment.”
The court, citing Article 6 of the Law on Combating Hostile Actions of the Zionist Regime Against Peace and Security, along with other articles of the Islamic Penal Code, sentenced him to death for “extensive crimes against domestic and foreign security” and for “causing serious disruption to public order.”
The Supreme Court upheld the verdict, and the sentence was carried out on August 5, 2025.
