Iranian authorities on Monday executed two men convicted of spying for Israel, the country’s judiciary confirmed, as Tehran continues a wave of executions linked to alleged espionage.
The men, identified as Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat, were accused of passing information about sensitive military and security locations to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.
Mizan, the media outlet of Iran’s judiciary, said the pair were hanged on Monday morning after being convicted of espionage and collaboration with Israel.
According to Mizan, the two men transmitted the coordinates of sensitive military and security sites to Mossad agents.
The judiciary did not disclose when the men were arrested or when their trials took place. It alleged, however, that they supplied intelligence to Israel during the ongoing conflict, helping its services achieve their objectives by providing information on military and security centres during the war.
The executions come amid a rise in death sentences in Iran since its war with Israel and the United States began in February. Tehran has stepped up its crackdown on people accused of spying for Israel since the conflict started.
Iran ranks as the world’s second-highest user of the death penalty after China. Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based organisation, and Together Against the Death Penalty, based in Paris, reported that Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025 — the highest figure recorded in the country since 1989.
Human rights groups have repeatedly criticised Iran’s use of capital punishment, particularly in national security and espionage cases. Amnesty International recently condemned an escalation in executions after Iran announced the hanging of two men convicted over alleged participation in anti-government protests last winter. The group has continued to call on Iranian authorities to halt executions and guarantee defendants fair trials.
READ ALSO:
- Power supply to improve within 72 hours, says Tegbe
- Sokoto Governor Aliyu Doubles Corps Members’ Allowance To N20,000
- Nigerians Urge Tinubu to Step Aside After Akwa Ibom Stumble
- US Dangles $20m Bounty For Intelligence On Iran’s Nuclear Facilities
- Lagos Police Detain ASP After Stray Bullet Kills Girl During Ajegunle Clash
