Iran executes three prisoners accused of spying for Israel

Iran executed three more prisoners for allegedly spying for Israel on Wednesday, the latest hangings connected to the country’s war with Israel.

The hangings happened in Urmia Prison in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province, the country’s most north-west province, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

IRNA said Iran’s judiciary claimed the men had been accused of bringing “assassination equipment” into the country.

Iran has carried out several hangings during its war with Israel, sparking fears from activists that it could conduct a wave of executions after the conflict ended.

Iran identified the three men executed as Azad Shojaei, Edris Aali and Iraqi national Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul.

Amnesty International had previously raised concerns that the men could be executed.

Wednesday’s executions bring the total number of hangings for espionage around the war up to six since June 16.

Activists fear more people will be executed, particularly after Iran’s theocracy issued a deadline for people to turn themselves in over spying.

People in Iran, meanwhile, began trying to return to their normal lives as a shaky ceasefire with Israel, negotiated by US President Donald Trump, appeared to be holding.

State media described heavy traffic around the Caspian Sea area and other rural areas outside of the capital, Tehran, as people began returning to the city.

Tehran experienced intense Israeli airstrikes throughout the war, including those that targeted Iran’s top military leadership and other sites associated with its ruling theocracy.