Iran puts to death two individuals found guilty of espionage on behalf of Israel

Iran's judiciary announced the execution of two men on Monday, convicted of spying for Israel, marking the latest in a series of hangings for alleged espionage, which has been on the rise since the start of the war with Israel and the US in February.

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The executions are part of a larger trend, with many convicts accused of spying for Israeli intelligence, and Tehran has ramped up hangings accordingly, since the conflict began on February 28.

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Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat were identified as the two men hanged on Monday, with Mizan, the judiciary's media outlet, stating that they were executed for transmitting sensitive military and security site coordinates to Mossad agents.

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The judiciary's media outlet did not provide details on when the pair were arrested or tried, but noted that they were convicted of "espionage and collaboration with the Zionist regime" for providing information on military and security centers during the war.

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According to Mizan, Behzad and Safvat aided intelligence services in achieving their objectives by providing them with crucial information on military and security centers during the conflict.

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The number of executions in Iran has increased significantly since the start of the war, which began with massive US-Israeli strikes on February 28 that resulted in the death of Iran's supreme leader.

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Iran is currently the world's second-most prolific executioner, surpassed only by China, according to rights groups, including Amnesty International.

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Last year, the authorities executed at least 1,639 people, a record high since 1989, as reported by Iran Human Rights, an NGO based in Norway, and Together Against the Death Penalty, headquartered in Paris.

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Amnesty International denounced the "escalation" in executions on Tuesday, following Iran's announcement of the hanging of two men found guilty of participating in anti-government protests during the winter.