Iran executes two people accused of spying for Israel

Iran executed two citizens, Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat, on espionage charges, amid a surge in national security-related executions and heightened tensions with the US and Israel.

Iran executed two of its ​citizens on Monday on charges of espionage and ​cooperation with Israel, Iranian state media reported, ‌amid ​an increase in executions for offences relating to national security.

Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat were accused of sending Israel the coordinates of military and security ‌sites as well as images and information during a brief war last summer and during the latest conflict, judiciary news outlet Mizan reported. The executions come at a tense moment for Iran, which quelled a period of nationwide unrest ‌in January by killing thousands of protesters, only for the U.S. and Israel to launch renewed strikes ‌on it on February 28. A source briefed on Israel’s military strategy told Reuters in March that during the current Iran war Israel targeted checkpoints manned by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps based on intelligence from informants on the ground.

Human Rights Watch reported on ⁠July 24 ​that Iran has executed at ⁠least 50 people in the past four months on vague national security charges, including several 18- and 19-year-olds. Iran's permanent mission in Geneva ⁠did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Tehran has previously denied accusations of abuses against prisoners. U.S. President Donald Trump ​said talks with Iran would be held on Monday. But Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said ⁠on Monday that there were no talks with the United States at present.

Last year's 12-day war began in mid-June when Israel launched ⁠an ​air campaign that the United States later joined. It ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The current conflict began in late February with U.S. and Israeli strikes following weeks of pressure on Iran over its nuclear and ⁠ballistic missile programmes and its handling of the January protests. The warring sides paused major conflict with with a ⁠fragile truce agreement in June. ⁠But Trump has repeatedly issued threats to escalate the war again, only to allow more time for talks, which have so far not led to a comprehensive ‌deal.