Iran hangs two men for passing military coordinates to Mossad as executions hit highest level since 1989

The executions

Iran executed two of its citizens, Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat, by hanging on Monday morning, the judiciary news outlet Mizan reported. The men were convicted of espionage and cooperation with Israel, specifically of transmitting coordinates and photographs of sensitive military and security installations to Mossad operatives. According to state television, the charges covered activity during the 12-day conflict in June 2025 and the war that began with US and Israeli strikes on 28 February 2026. The Supreme Court had confirmed the death sentences before they were carried out.

Charges and trial concerns

The human rights organisation Hengaw sharply criticised the proceedings, saying the trial and executions were conducted behind closed doors without independent legal review. The group argued that widespread internet shutdowns during the conflict made it unlikely the men could have carried out the alleged spying.

The televised confessions were obtained under torture and intense pressure while they were in solitary confinement. No information was published about the prison where they were held, the location of the executions, or whether the bodies were returned to the families.

Mizan also accused Safvat of sending photos and videos to the exile television station Iran International, which the judiciary outlet described as linked to Mossad. The information allegedly enabled subsequent airstrikes on sites where Iranian military and security forces were operating.

Record executions and repression

The hangings are part of a sharp increase in capital punishment for security-related offences since the conflict began. Iran executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, a record high since 1989, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights and the Paris-based ECPM. Amnesty International last week condemned an "escalation" of executions after Tehran hanged two men who had taken part in the mass protests that swept the country between late 2025 and early 2026. On 22 July, another individual was executed, and just last week two men were put to death for killing police officers during the January unrest. Iran remains the world's second most prolific executioner after China.

Geopolitical backdrop

The executions unfolded against a backdrop of fragile diplomacy. President Donald Trump claimed on his Truth Social platform that talks with Iran were scheduled for Monday, saying Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked for time to complete a deal that would lead to "the Immediate, Complete and Total" reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and "an end to Iran's nuclear threat." Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, denied any negotiations with Washington, stating that discussions were limited to Oman and focused on securing a temporary safe maritime route. Baghaei added that an agreement with Oman alone would not reopen the strait as long as what Iran calls US "aggression" continues.

The current war began on 28 February after weeks of US and Israeli pressure over Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its crackdown on the January protests. A fragile truce in June paused major combat, but Trump has repeatedly threatened to escalate while granting more time for talks that have yet to produce a comprehensive agreement.