Iran executed two men on Saturday after they were convicted of spying for Israel and its Mossad intelligence service, according to the country’s judiciary. Authorities identified the men as Yaghoub Karimpour and Naser Bakrzadeh, stating that their death sentences were carried out at dawn following confirmation by the Supreme Court.
The judiciary’s Mizan Online website alleged that Karimpour was convicted of “moharebeh” (waging war against God) for filming and photographing security and military locations. Officials claimed he passed this sensitive information to a Mossad officer during Iran’s 12-day war with Israel in June 2025.
Bakrzadeh was accused of cooperating with Mossad by collecting details on prominent religious and provincial figures, as well as gathering intelligence on sensitive sites, including the Natanz nuclear region. Reports indicate that Bakrzadeh, a 26-year-old Kurdish political prisoner, had his death sentence overturned multiple times before it was ultimately upheld earlier this year.
Human rights organizations have condemned the executions, raising serious concerns regarding the judicial process. The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights and HRANA (Human Rights Activists News Agency) alleged that both men were subjected to physical and psychological torture to extract forced confessions.
Bakrzadeh reportedly released a final letter from prison shortly before his execution, in which he maintained his innocence and claimed he was being targeted due to his Kurdish and Sunni identity. Rights groups noted that Karimpour, a follower of the Yarsan faith and a law graduate, was denied access to legal counsel and family visits during his detention.
These hangings follow a surge in executions in Iran linked to national security charges and recent anti-government protests. On Thursday, authorities also executed a man identified as Sasan Azadvar for allegedly attacking police officers during demonstrations earlier this year.