Iran executed Mohsen Langarneshin on Wednesday for espionage, alleging he collaborated with Israel’s Mossad and aided in the 2022 assassination of Revolutionary Guard colonel Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei in Tehran. Langarneshin, described as a top Mossad operative in Iran, reportedly provided “technical support” in the killing, in which Khodaei was shot by two gunmen on a motorcycle linked to him. Iranian media referred to Khodaei as a “defender of the shrine,” a title for those fighting against ISIS in Syria and Iraq within the Quds Force.
According to Reports,further claimed Langarneshin assisted in attacks on an Iranian defense ministry-related industrial center, facilitated vehicle and equipment purchases for Mossad operations, transferred money to agents in Iran, and rented safe houses in multiple provinces, including one in Isfahan, targeted by drone strikes in January 2023. Langarneshin had been recruited by Mossad in 2020, executing missions in partnership with Israeli agents in Georgia and Nepal.
According to Sources, Langerneshin allegedly confessed “during all stages of the interrogation, prosecution, and court proceedings” after being presented with extensive evidence. The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that a source close to Langerneshin’s family indicated he was “promised” a lighter sentence if he complied with interrogators’ demands to repeat specific statements on camera. These confessions were reportedly obtained under duress.
Another source stated Langerneshin was forced to recite a prewritten script for filming. His father, Masoud, shared a video prior to the execution asserting that his son was sentenced to death without a fair trial.
Langerneshin’s mother made a public plea for assistance from human rights organizations and last visited him at Ghezel Hesar prison on April 29. The Revolutionary Court, known for harsh punishments against political dissenters, sentenced Langerneshin to death, stating legal protocols were followed, and the execution occurred on the morning of the report.
