Reports: 2 Gay Men Hanged in Iran

According to reports, including one by the Daily Beast, two gay men in Iran were hanged on August 6.

Abdulla Ghavami Chahzanjiru and Salman Ghanbari Chahzanjiri were killed in southern Iran for "consensual sodomy," the Daily Beast writes.

"Their deaths are part of a wave of executions in Iran, with more than 400 in the first half of 2014 alone, according to the NGO Iran Human Rights," the Daily Beast says.

The publication stresses it has not been confirmed that the men were killed because of their sexuality, but at least one Iranian source reports that they were. Another is vague about their "crimes" but labels the men as "immoral villains." One of the sources says the two men were hanged to "promote community safety" and to "reduce the suffering of the victims."

The Daily Beast notes that the executions were carried out just as the U.S. seeks to "engage" Iran diplomatically, which may cause 'a LGBT headache" for the government.

Homosexuality is outlawed in Iran. It is a crime and punishable by imprisonment, corporal punishment or execution. According to the NGO Iran Human Rights, there were more than 400 executions in the first half of 2014.

The Daily Beast also details recent LGBT politics in Iran. You can read the full piece here.