Iran said a database systems expert accused of spying for Israel was executed, among nine killed for espionage since the Jewish state attacked the Arabic nation.

Iranians walk past next to a wall painting of Iran's national flag on a street in Tehran, Iran, Iran said a man accused of spying for Israel was executed Monday, among nine executed for espionage since June when the Jewish state attacked the Arab nation. File photo by Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA UPI

Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Iran said a database systems expert accused of spying for Israel was executed Monday, among nine put to death for espionage since June when the Jewish state attacked the Arab nation.

Bahman Choobiasl Asi was "one of the most important spies for Israel in Iran," Iran's Mizan news agency, which is the judiciary's official agency, said.

He is accused of working for Israel's Mossad spy agency.

"Mossad's main goal in recruiting him was to obtain governmental databases and infiltrate Iran's data centers, while also pursuing secondary objectives such as monitoring the import routes of electronic equipment."

Choui received his specialized degree in database systems during a technical training course in one of the Persian Gulf states.

A Mossad officer, working undercover for a front company called ESMI, contacted him by phone, inviting him to collaborate on database projects, Mizan said. Under the pretext of holding technical negotiations and discussing cooperation conditions, he was asked to travel to Armenia. The destination was changed to India, where he was instructed to bring along his work laptop.

A Mossad officer paid all travel expenses, offered him rewards, and had him attend specialized technical training to improve his skills, Mizan reported.

He was then invited to Ireland for about 45 days of specialized training.

Choobial was charged with espionage for a foreign service against the Islamic Republic of Iran, "including receiving money and intelligence cooperation with the occupying Zionist regime."

He was sentenced to death, and after his appeal, the case was reviewed by the Supreme Court, which rejected his petition and upheld the verdict.

No information about him was reported by state media or human rights organizations.

Mossad's intelligence assisted Israel in its war with Iran, which began June 13. Ultimately, the United States brokered a peace deal to end the 12-day war.

Among the 10 executed since June, eight were accused of espionage for Israel. Two others were executed this year for espionage, according to the nonprofit Iran Human Rights, with members inside and outside the nation based in Oslo, Norway.

Earlier this month, Babak Shahbazi, who also was accused of spying for Israel, was executed.

So far this year, Iran has executed more than 1,000 people, Amnesty International said. This is the highest number of yearly executions in at least 15 years.

"The ongoing escalation of executions in Iran has reached horrific proportions as the Iranian authorities continue to systematically weaponize the death penalty as a tool of repression and to quash dissent while displaying a chilling assault on the right to life," Amnesty International spokesperson Heba Morayef said in a news release Friday.

"The death penalty is abhorrent in all circumstances and deploying it on a large scale following routinely grossly unfair trials compounds the injustice. Those targeted with complete impunity include political dissidents, members of oppressed ethnic minorities, protesters and those sentenced to death for drug-related offences."

The group said 972 were put to death last year.

In 2024, the United Nations Human Rights Office said at least 901 people were reportedly executed in Iran, including around 40 in December.

"It is deeply disturbing that yet again we see an increase in the number of people subjected to the death penalty in Iran year-on-year," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in January. "It is high time Iran stemmed this ever-swelling tide of executions."

The United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran on Sunday.