TEHRAN / OSLO — State media announced that Omid Behzad and Pourya Safvat were executed at an undisclosed location on the morning of August 3, 2026, following convictions for espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel. Their hangings mark the second and third executions of individuals accused specifically of transmitting military coordinates to foreign entities.
Following the announcement by the judiciary’s official Mizan News Agency, Iranian state outlets broadcast videos featuring forced confessions from both men. Human rights monitors emphasize that no independent information or fair trial proceedings were available in their cases.
Official Allegations & Charges
According to reports released by Iranian judicial authorities:
Iran Human Rights
- Omid Behzad: Accused of utilizing navigation platforms, including Google Maps, to gather geographic coordinates and operational intelligence regarding sensitive military sites during the 40-Day War. Authorities alleged he transmitted the data directly to a Mossad handler via Telegram while advocating for U.S. and Israeli military intervention in Iran. Iran Human Rights
- Pourya Safvat: Accused of filming Iranian air defense systems from rooftops during the 12-Day War (June 13–24, 2025) and relaying photos, video footage, and coordinates to Mossad operatives and the Iran International network. State media claimed several sites he identified were subsequently targeted in air strikes. Iran Human Rights+ 1
Context: Expanding Judicial Crackdown
The executions occur within a broader, rapid expansion of capital punishment across Iran following recent military conflicts and internal unrest:
Iran International
- Surge in Espionage Executions: At least 14 people have been executed on espionage charges in 2026 alone. Twelve were accused of operating on behalf of Israel and the United States, while two Iraqi nationals were executed for allegedly spying for an unnamed Arab nation. Iran Human Rights
- Wartime Legal Framework: The executions are legally supported by the newly enacted « Law on Intensifying the Punishment for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile States. » The statutory framework mandates the death penalty and asset confiscation for acts such as sharing operational intelligence, photographs, or footage with foreign media entities. Iran Human Rights+ 1
- Expedited Fast-Track Proceedings: On March 29, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei issued a directive ordering expedited trials for anyone accused of collaborating with hostile foreign states under wartime conditions, instructing courts to hand down maximum statutory penalties without leniency.
Human rights organizations raise severe concerns that these convictions rely heavily on self-incriminating confessions extracted through torture and solitary confinement during closed-door proceedings without access to independent legal counsel.