Iran executes two men convicted of IS membership

Iran has executed two men after convicting them of belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group, according to the country’s judiciary.

The judiciary’s news website, Mizan Online, said the executions were carried out on Tuesday after the Supreme Court upheld their death sentences.

It identified the two men as Mohiyodin Abdollahi and Hossein Palani, saying: “Following the Supreme Court’s final verdict and in accordance with legal procedure, two members of the terrorist Islamic State group, Mohiyodin Abdollahi and Hossein Palani, were hanged this morning.”

The report did not say when the men were arrested or provide details of their trial.

According to Mizan Online, the pair “were planning to launch terrorist operations” in Iran and were sentenced to death for “armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic.”

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Iran in recent years.

Rights groups, including Amnesty International, say Iran carries out more executions each year than any other country except China.

Authorities have also increased the use of the death penalty since the Middle East conflict triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

Iran executes two men convicted of IS membership