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.