Iran Executes Two Men for Blasphemy Amidst Rising Executions

Iran executed two men convicted of blasphemy, a rare occurrence, as the country sees a surge in executions following months of unrest. The two men were accused of insulting Islam's Prophet Muhammad and promoting atheism. Iran remains one of the world's top executioners, having put to death at least 203 prisoners since the start of this year alone. The streak of executions, including members of ethnic minority groups in Iran, comes as monthslong protests over the September death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the country's morality police have cooled. Human rights groups are calling on the international community to react decisively to the executions.