Iran on Wednesday executed a man convicted of espionage for Israel and involvement in the killing of a Revolutionary Guard but activists said he was sentenced to death after an unfair trial and a confession obtained by torture.
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Mohsen Langarneshin, reportedly aged 34, was hanged at dawn at Ghezelhesar prison in Karaj outside Tehran, several rights groups said.
His mother and father held a vigil outside the jail during the night, pleading for his life to be spared, images on social media showed.
The Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary confirmed he had been put to death in the morning, describing Langarneshin as a “high-ranking spy” who supported Mossad operations inside Iran.
The rate of executions is again surging in Iran in a trend that has caused international concern with at least 335 people hanged so far this year alone, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) monitor.
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The hanging also comes as US President Donald Trump is seeking to reach out to the Iranian leadership to strike a deal on its nuclear programme, with both Israel and its ally the United States long refusing to rule out a military strike on Iran.