Iran has executed two men convicted of spying for Israel, as authorities press ahead with a renewed wave of executions despite mounting criticism from international human rights groups and foreign governments.

Iranian state media reported that Yaqoub Karimpour and Nasser Bakarzadeh were put to death after being found guilty of cooperating with Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad. Their sentences had been upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court.

According to Iran’s judiciary, Karimpour was accused of providing sensitive information to Mossad during the 12-day conflict in June 2025. Officials alleged that he transmitted national security data to Israeli intelligence during the hostilities.

Human rights groups have raised serious concerns about the cases. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) identified Karimpour as a member of the Yarsan religious minority, also known as Ahl-e Haqq, and described Bakarzadeh as a Kurdish political prisoner.

HRANA said Karimpour, 41, was arrested in June 2025 and denied access to legal counsel and family visits during his detention. The organisation alleged he was held under strict security conditions for about two months and pressured into making a confession.

Bakarzadeh had been in custody since December 2023. He was sentenced to death several times by the Revolutionary Court in Urmia on charges of espionage for Israel.

In an audio recording recently circulated by rights groups and said to have been made from inside Urmia prison, Bakarzadeh spoke of living under constant fear. “Every moment I see my own death,” he reportedly said.

Iranian authorities accused him of gathering information on senior political and religious figures, as well as strategic sites, including the Natanz nuclear facility, and passing the details to an alleged Mossad operative.

The executions are part of a broader surge in capital punishment in Iran. Rights organisations say the pace has accelerated sharply in recent weeks, coinciding with heightened tensions and military confrontation involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

The Hengaw human rights organisation reported that at least 26 prisoners were executed in Iran during April alone. Among them were at least 14 political prisoners and one woman.

Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, has rejected international appeals for restraint. In recent remarks, he said Iran would show no leniency toward those convicted of crimes against the state or its citizens, dismissing criticism from foreign governments as interference.

International human rights organisations and the United Nations have repeatedly expressed alarm over Iran’s use of the death penalty, particularly in cases involving political charges and national security allegations. Critics argue that executions are increasingly being used as a tool of intimidation during periods of domestic and regional unrest.

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is considering reducing the US military presence in Spain and Italy, widening a dispute with key NATO allies over their opposition to the ongoing war with Iran.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump suggested both countries had failed to adequately support Washington’s military campaign in the Middle East.

“Yeah, probably, I probably will. Why shouldn’t I?” Trump said when asked whether he would withdraw troops from the two countries. He added that Italy “has not been of any help” and described Spain as “absolutely horrible.”

The comments came just one day after Trump floated a similar proposal regarding Germany, following criticism from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the administration’s handling of the Iran conflict.

Trump has repeatedly argued that the US-led campaign against Iran serves the security interests of the entire Western alliance. He has expressed frustration that several NATO members have not provided stronger military or political backing, particularly in efforts to counter Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the latest Pentagon figures, the United States has about 36,000 troops stationed in Germany, roughly 12,600 in Italy and nearly 3,800 in Spain. While Trump did not specify the scale of any potential reductions, reports in US media suggest the cuts under consideration could be substantial.

Tensions with Italy have grown in recent weeks after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni publicly questioned the war. Trump, once a close ally of the Italian leader, accused her of lacking the courage to fully support the campaign.

Relations with Spain have been strained for longer. Disagreements initially emerged over Madrid’s stance on the war in Gaza and later expanded to include defence spending and NATO commitments. Spain has resisted Trump’s push for alliance members to raise defence spending to 5 per cent of gross domestic product.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said Spain will only increase military spending when it aligns with national interests. That position has drawn repeated criticism from Washington.

The Trump administration has previously threatened trade measures against Spain and has even raised the possibility of suspending the country from NATO. Reports last week indicated that such discussions have resurfaced amid Spain’s refusal to support the Iran campaign.

The diplomatic tensions come as the war enters its third month, with no clear end in sight. The conflict has disrupted global energy markets, especially after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude settled at around $114 a barrel on Friday, sharply higher than the roughly $70 level seen before the conflict began.

Trump’s latest remarks are likely to deepen divisions within NATO at a time when alliance unity is already under strain.

US President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States could reduce its military presence in Germany, escalating tensions with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the handling of the conflict involving Iran.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump said Washington was reviewing the possibility of withdrawing some American troops from Germany, with a decision expected soon. The announcement comes amid a growing public disagreement between the two leaders over US strategy in the Middle East.

“The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in Germany,” Trump wrote, signalling that the longstanding American military footprint in Europe’s largest economy could once again be under scrutiny.

Germany hosts some of the most important US military facilities outside the United States, including Ramstein Air Base, the headquarters of US European Command and US Africa Command, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American military hospital abroad.

Trump’s latest warning follows comments by Merz earlier this week, in which the German leader said Washington was being “humiliated” by Iran and questioned the effectiveness of the US approach to the conflict. Merz has repeatedly called for a clearer strategy and a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

Despite the sharp exchange, Merz said on Wednesday that his personal relationship with Trump remained strong. He added, however, that he had harboured concerns from the outset about the military campaign against Iran.

The two leaders met at the White House in March, shortly after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iranian targets. At the time, Merz said Germany was prepared to work closely with Washington on future regional strategy, while also warning that a prolonged conflict could inflict serious damage on the global economy.

That concern has intensified as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to disrupt global energy markets. The vital waterway, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes, has remained effectively shut since fighting began in late February.

“We are suffering considerably in Germany and in Europe from the consequences of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Merz said, urging all sides to seek a resolution.

Trump, however, has shown increasing frustration with Germany’s stance. In a post on Tuesday, he criticised Merz’s remarks on Iran and accused the chancellor of misunderstanding the threat posed by Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

This is not the first time Trump has threatened to reduce US troop levels in Germany. During his first term, he announced plans to withdraw nearly 10,000 troops, citing Berlin’s defence spending. That proposal was later halted by the Biden administration.

Any renewed reduction would likely raise fresh questions about US commitment to NATO and European security at a time of heightened global instability.