Iran executes two men sentenced for spying for Israel

Iran executed two of its citizens on Monday, August 3, 2026, after convicting them of spying for Israel, according to the country's judiciary. The men, identified as Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat, were hanged following Supreme Court approval of their death sentences for espionage and collaboration with a foreign intelligence agency.

Authorities alleged the pair provided Israel with coordinates, photographs, and intelligence on sensitive military and security sites during recent periods of conflict. The judiciary's media outlet, Mizan, stated that Behzad used tools including Google Maps to identify locations and transmit coordinates to the administrator of a Telegram channel allegedly linked to Israeli intelligence. Safvat was accused of photographing Iranian air-defense systems from rooftops and sending the material to contacts connected to Israel and to Iran International, a London-based Persian-language broadcaster.

The judiciary released footage of the men and screenshots it presented as evidence, claiming the intelligence they provided was used to identify targets later struck during Israeli operations. Iranian officials said the men were identified and arrested by the...