Man Sentenced to 13.5 Years for Aiding Iran in Espionage

A district court in Lod has sentenced Alexander Granovsky of Petah Tikva to 13.5 years in prison for severe national security offenses, including collaborating with an Iranian agent via Telegram. Granovsky admitted to and was convicted of multiple charges, such as contacting a foreign agent, providing information to the enemy, property damage, and arson. He photographed strategic facilities, including power stations and the neighborhood of MK Benny Gantz, and set fire to nine vehicles, all under the direction of the Iranian agent. He also received instructions to destroy IDF uniforms and acted as an intermediary to find individuals with criminal records for violent acts.

The sentence is the most severe handed down to date in a series of cases involving individuals recruited by Iranian agents through social media. Granovsky was aware of the agent's hostile intentions towards Israel but continued to cooperate, even proactively offering to undertake more significant missions. He received thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency for his services.

The Central District Prosecutor's Office stated that the state views any cooperation with hostile agents with extreme severity and that the unprecedented sentence reflects the gravity of his actions. The court emphasized that the heavy sentence serves as a deterrent, warning that those tempted by financial gain to act for hostile entities face severe consequences.

Granovsky's case is part of a recent wave of espionage incidents where Iranian agents have allegedly recruited Israeli citizens, including minors from the Haifa area who photographed strategic sites and spray-painted pro-Iranian graffiti, and an Israeli-Russian journalist arrested at Ben Gurion Airport on suspicion of serious security offenses.