Iran Executes Two Convicted Spies for Israel Amid Rising Executions
On Monday, Iran executed two men convicted of spying for Israel, according to the judiciary. This action is part of a broader trend of increased executions related to alleged espionage since the war with Israel and the United States began in February. The men, identified as Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat, were reportedly hanged for providing coordinates of military and security sites to Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence service. While the exact dates of their arrest and trial were not disclosed, they were found guilty of espionage and collaboration with what the Iranian authorities termed the "Zionist regime."
The judiciary's media outlet, Mizan, stated that the pair assisted Israeli intelligence by supplying critical information during the ongoing conflict. The number of executions in Iran has surged since the war's onset, which began with significant US-Israeli military strikes that resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader.
According to various human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Iran ranks as the world's second-most prolific executioner, following China. Reports indicate that at least 1,639 executions occurred in Iran last year, marking the highest annual total since 1989. Additionally, Amnesty International has condemned the recent escalation in executions, particularly following the hanging of two individuals involved in anti-government protests earlier this week.
