A Tehran court sentenced a man to death on Monday after convicting him of spying for Israel. Israel government sources denied any knowledge of the case. 
Ashtari was accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars from Mossad agents.
The two-day Revolutionary Court trial of Ali Ashtari, 45, ended with a death sentence after Ashtari was found guilty of "engaging in espionage for the Mossad intelligence service." The Mossad is a nickname for Israel's secret service. Iranian sources said that the verdict can still be appealed, although Ashtari publicly confessed to the charges against him.
In a statement made before the court, according to Iranian media, Ashtari said, "I apologize to the Iranian people and to any organization which has been damaged because of my acts, and I request Islamic clemency."
Israeli government spokespersons refused to comment on the arrest and conviction of Ashtari, saying that they were not familiar with the case.
Arrested a year and a half ago, Ashtari was accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars from Mossad agents in exchange for information to which he had access as a government contractor. Ashtari heads a firm selling communications and security equipment to sensitive defense facilities in Iran and abroad.
In 2000, 10 Iranian Jews were convicted of espionage on behalf of Israel and were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. International pressure eventually brought about their release. Twelve other Jews have not been heard from since their arrests in the 1990s.