Iranian Crown Prince Condemns Execution of Student Accused of Spying for Israel

Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has strongly condemned the execution of Iranian student Aghil Keshavarz, who was hanged this week after being convicted of espionage for Israel a charge rights groups say was based on a forced confession and a sham trial.

Keshavarz, a student at Shahrood University, was arrested in June following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Iranian authorities accused him of photographing military sites and handed down a death sentence after what human rights organizations described as a deeply flawed judicial process. Reports say he was tortured in custody and pressured to confess.

“The Islamic Republic’s murder of Aghil Keshavarz is clear evidence of its weakness,” Pahlavi posted on X. “Khamenei and his regime are taking out revenge for their defeat in the 12-day war by murdering Iran’s innocent youth based on lies.”

Pahlavi, a longtime opponent of the clerical regime, added that the execution reflects fear more than strength: “This regime’s greatest fear is from the people of Iran and their great national uprising. The Iranian nation’s will is stronger than the regime’s suppression and fear-mongering.”

He also addressed Keshavarz’s grieving family, promising justice: “I assure them, and all those seeking justice, that the people of Iran will end Khamenei’s reign of terror and that the perpetrators of these crimes will face justice.”

Iranian state-linked media claimed Keshavarz admitted to the charges, but multiple rights groups and independent observers dispute the validity of his confession, saying it was extracted under duress by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence officers. The trial was held behind closed doors with no independent oversight.

This latest execution comes amid a dramatic increase in capital punishment across Iran. Rights monitors report that over 1,000 people have been executed in 2025, with the regime using public hangings and terrorism charges as tools of intimidation amid growing internal dissent.

Analysts note that Iran typically handles actual intelligence cases involving Israel quietly, whereas high-profile public executions often serve as political signals and deterrents to the general population.

The international community has yet to issue a coordinated response, though several Western diplomats have expressed concern over the rising use of capital punishment and the lack of due process in Iran’s judiciary. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates.