Iran executes individual found guilty of ties to the US and Israel amid unrest preceding the conflict

Iran's judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, oversaw the execution of a man on Monday who was found guilty of collaborating with Israel and the United States amidst a wave of anti-government protests that swept the nation earlier this year, according to the judiciary.

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The judiciary's Mizan Online website identified the executed man as Ali Fahim, describing him as "one of the enemy elements" involved in the "terrorist riots" that occurred in January, and stated that he was hanged after the Supreme Court reviewed his case and upheld the verdict.

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The execution of Ali Fahim is the latest in a series of cases related to the protests that erupted in late December in response to rising living costs, before escalating into nationwide anti-government demonstrations that reached their peak on January 8 and 9.

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This development comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Iran and the United States and Israel, which intensified on February 28 with a series of strikes that resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

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According to Mizan, Ali Fahim was convicted of working against Iran's interests on behalf of "the Zionist regime and the United States", as well as breaking into a classified military site to steal weapons.

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Iranian authorities have maintained that the initial rallies in December were peaceful, but later descended into "foreign-instigated riots" characterized by violence and vandalism.

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Tehran has reported that over 3,000 people lost their lives during the unrest, including security personnel and bystanders, attributing the violence to "terrorist acts".

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In contrast, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has documented more than 7,000 deaths, with the vast majority being protesters, and suggests that the actual toll could be even higher.