Iran on Monday executed two men convicted of spying for Israel, the latest in a series of executions linked to alleged espionage activities.
The Iranian judiciary said Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat were hanged after being found guilty of passing the coordinates of sensitive military and security sites to agents of Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad.
In a statement carried by Mizan, the judiciary’s official news outlet, the authorities said the pair were convicted of “espionage and collaboration with the Zionist regime.”
“They helped the intelligence services achieve their objectives by providing information on military and security centres during the war,” the statement said.
The judiciary did not disclose when the two men were arrested or tried.
Iran has intensified executions since the outbreak of its conflict with Israel and the United States in February, with several of those executed accused of collaborating with Israeli intelligence.
According to rights organisations, Iran remains the world’s second-highest user of the death penalty after China. Amnesty International and other rights groups have repeatedly criticised Tehran over its use of capital punishment.
Data released by Norway-based Iran Human Rights and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) showed that at least 1,639 people were executed in Iran last year, the highest annual figure recorded since 1989.
Last week, Amnesty International condemned what it described as an “escalation” in executions after Iranian authorities announced the hanging of two men convicted over their involvement in anti-government protests during the winter.
