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.
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 © Mena Today
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.
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 was later joined by the United States. 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.
Major conflict was paused 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.
Reporting by Tala Ramadan
U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran will happen on Monday but declined to set a deadline for an agreement after earlier saying he had called off an imminent attack in hopes of quickly reaching a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resolve the impasse over Tehran's nuclear capabilities.
Maronite Patriarch Béchara Raï reiterated his support Sunday for the US-brokered framework agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel in late June, describing it during his Sunday homily as a "national path to resolving outstanding issues, consolidating a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, and preserving the state's sovereignty over its entire territory."
President Donald Trump said late on Saturday the U.S. would hold off on a fresh attack on Iran as long as a deal could be reached quickly to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
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