Three hanged in Iran over espionage allegations

Three men were executed in Iran on Wednesday morning, the Tasnim news agency reported.

They were hanged in Urmia prison in western Iran on charges of espionage for Israel, Tasnim reported, adding that the "agents of the Zionist regime" had intended to carry out assassinations in Iran and had planned the murder of prominent figures. Tasnim is seen as being close to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) branch of the military.

Iranian media have reported on dozens of arrests and executions in connection with espionage accusations since the beginning of the war with Israel on June 13.

There is growing concern in the country that the leadership in Tehran is using espionage accusations to act against critics and opposition members.

Israel has severely impacted the leadership in Tehran with its attacks and has killed a number of key figures in the military apparatus of the Islamic Republic. Observers believe that the leadership might try to counter the impression of weakness with political toughness on the domestic front.

For years, human rights activists have criticized the use of the death penalty in Iran. They accuse the judiciary of a lack of transparency and unfair trials.