ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iran’s judiciary announced Tuesday that it hanged a man after he was convicted of being a main collaborator in burning a mosque, and accused of spying for Israel’s intelligence Mossad agency.

“Amir Ali Mirjafari, son of Mohammad Reza, an armed element collaborating with the enemy who set fire to the Gholhak Grand Mosque and was responsible for leading anti-security actions of the Mossad network in that area, was hanged early this morning after the Supreme Court confirmed the sentence and following legal procedures,” the judiciary’s Mizan news outlet said on Tuesday morning.

According to the article ran by the Mizan agency, Mirjafari had confessed to participating in the pre-war protests with his friends, and “threw projectiles at phone booths and bus windows,” and set fire to a motorcycle in Mirdamad with gasoline.

“On Friday, we set fire to trash bins and a motorcycle on Dolat Street and Metro Alley; I played a leadership and command role during the riots and carried cold weapons and gasoline,” the judiciary media quoted the convict as saying, adding that he had also confessed to attacking police officers and security forces.

The Islamic republic brutally cracked down on nationwide demonstrations in January, which began as protests against the country’s dwindling economy but quickly escalated to calls to overthrow the regime. 

The Iranian judiciary has previously stated that there will be “no leniency” for those acting against the country’s security. Those arrested could face charges often punishable by death under the Islamic republic’s judicial system.

Mizan said that 22 convicts in two provinces received prison sentences for “collaborating with the enemy in various ways.”

Iran has repeatedly referred to the recent nationwide protests as “foreign plots,” and labeled the demonstrators “terrorist elements” working for the US and Israel.

Tehran has also confirmed that over 3,000 protesters were killed in the recent demonstrations, though the real number is feared to be much higher.