Iran executes man accused of providing missile info to Israel: judiciary

Iran's judiciary announced on Saturday the execution of a man accused of providing information about Iranian missile sites to Israeli intelligence.

"The death penalty was carried out against Hossein Pedaran, who had provided the Mossad with information on missile sites in Isfahan province" in central Iran, judicial authorities said, without saying when he was arrested or put on trial.

Pedaran had faced accusations of "espionage and intelligence collaboration" in favour of Israel.

The judiciary said his sentence had been upheld by the supreme court.

The case had not previously been reported by the media.

Iranian authorities have escalated arrests and executions both in connection with the Middle East war that began in February and the nationwide protests that peaked in January.

Throughout the war, numerous missile sites have been bombed. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at the start of the war.

Isfahan province, which hosts Iranian nuclear sites, has been one of the hardest hit throughout the war.

In August, the judiciary announced the execution of two men accused of having "transmitted the coordinates of sensitive military and security sites" to Israel.

Iran carries out the second highest number of executions in the world after China, according to rights groups.