Iran hangs ‘US spy’ after torturing him for 9 months as Trump peace talks falter | World | News
Iran has hanged an alleged US spy who Tehran accused of collaborating with the CIA. Erfan Shakourzadeh, 29, was hanged after being accused of espionage and collaboration with the US and Israel, according to Iranian state news.
It comes as Iran rejected the US plan to end the war, with Iranian media describing the deal as equivalent to “Tehran’s submission to Trump’s excessive demands”. A 29‑year‑old student from Tehran’s Iran University of Science and Technology, was executed after Iran’s judiciary accused him of assisting the CIA and Mossad—charges he firmly denied in a final message shared by human rights groups.
Arrested in February 2025 and accused of collaborating with hostile governments, he was reportedly subjected to nine months of severe physical and psychological torture in solitary confinement as authorities sought forced confessions. Please confirm details with a trusted news source.
He is the fifth individual executed on espionage charges since the war began on February 28, marking yet another escalation in the government’s crackdown.
In his final message, Shakourzadeh said the accusations against him were “baseless” and that he had been “forced into false confessions” due to the brutal torture.
Since the assassination of Ali Khamenei — the event that triggered the US‑Israeli campaign — Tehran has carried out a wave of executions, according to human rights groups.
Authorities have put to death 13 men linked to the January protests, one person connected to demonstrations in 2022, and 10 others accused of involvement with banned opposition groups, reflecting a sharp escalation in state repression.
Meanwhile, the UK and France are set to convene defence ministers from more than 40 countries to discuss a “defensive” mission aimed at safeguarding commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin will co‑chair Tuesday’s meeting, which will focus on plans to restore maritime traffic once the war concludes. In preparation for the operation, the UK Ministry of Defence announced on Saturday that HMS Dragon has already been deployed to the region.
