TEHRAN – Iran executed a notorious terror ringleader named James Sharmahd on Monday following a lengthy legal process and the final confirmation of his sentence by the Supreme Court.

The Judiciary Media Center announced the execution, emphasizing that it reflects the government's commitment to combating terrorism and ensuring national security. "This action sends a clear message that those who engage in acts of terror will face the full force of the law," a spokesperson stated.

Sharmahd, who also holds German and U.S. citizenships, was sentenced to death in February on charges of "corruption on earth” by planning and orchestrating a series of terrorist acts against the Iranian population. 

Sharmahd was apprehended by Iranian authorities in 2020. He was the ringleader of the Tondar (Thunder) terrorist group, responsible for a string of violent attacks in Iran. 

These attacks included a devastating 2008 bombing at a religious congregation center in Shiraz, Fars Province, which claimed the lives of 14 innocent civilians and wounded hundreds more. Upon his arrest, Sharmahd admitted to providing explosives for the bombing attack in the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in Shiraz.

Sharmahd and his Tondar group were also implicated in a 2010 terrorist bombing at Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's mausoleum in Tehran, injuring several people.

Sharmahd, a 67-year-old man, was further accused of collaborating with U.S. intelligence agencies and spying on Iran's sensitive ballistic missile program. 

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry asserted that Sharmahd had orchestrated "armed operations and acts of sabotage" against Iran from his base in the United States.

The ringleader was planning to carry out several high-profile and potentially deadly attacks across Iran before he was arrested. 

Germany and the United States have expressed support for Sharmahd in the past, accusing Iran of “violating human rights” for putting a well-known terrorist on trial. Germany even summoned Iran's charge d'affaires over the ring leader’s death sentence in February, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemning the verdict as “unacceptable.”