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Iran executes man in Israeli spy case

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  • Iran executes man found guilty of spying for Israel, state media reports
  • Ali Ashtari, 45, was convicted in in June of spying for Israel's intelligence agency
  • Iran and Israel have been engaged in an escalating war of words
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From Shirzad Bozorgmehr
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TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Iran has executed a man found guilty of spying for Israel, state media reported Saturday.

Tehran's Revolutionary Court convicted Ali Ashtari, 45, in June of spying for Israel's intelligence agency, the Mossad, in exchange for money.

While Ashtari was put to death by hanging on Monday, the execution was officially announced by the government Saturday.

"Evidence of Ashtari's crime was overwhelming," Iran's intelligence ministry director told Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.

According to Ashtari's "confession," published by the news agency Fars, Ashtari was a salesman who obtained high-end but security-compromised electronic equipment from Mossad and sold them to military and defense centers in Iran.

During the trial prosecutors displayed spying tools that Mossad had allegedly provided, Iranian Student's News Agency said.

Iran and Israel have been engaged in an escalating war of words. Iran accuses Israel of trying to destabilize the republic. Israel has not ruled out military action to halt Iran's nuclear aspirations.

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