Iran Executions Reach Unprecedented Levels in 2025

Published: October 4, 2025

Record Death Toll Raises International Alarm

Iranian authorities have executed more than 1,000 people in 2025 to date, marking the highest yearly execution total in at least 15 years, according to human rights organizations and UN experts.

The dramatic surge in state-sanctioned killings has been characterized by international observers as an instrument of political repression, particularly following Iran’s escalating tensions with Israel in June 2025 and ongoing domestic unrest.

Key Facts

• Total executions: Over 1,000 people executed in 2025 year-to-date
• Charges alleged: Drug-related offenses and “national security” threats
• Spy accusations: Six death-row inmates reportedly accused of working as Israeli spies
• Recent cases: At least three men executed at Ghezelhesar Prison in early October, as identified by Iran Human Rights

Disproportionate Impact on Minorities

Human rights monitors report that ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by the execution campaign, including:

• Kurdish populations
• Baluch communities
• Ahvazi Arabs
• Afghan nationals

International Condemnation

Amnesty International and United Nations experts have described the execution rate as unprecedented, calling it a deliberate tool of state repression deployed in response to domestic protests and regional military tensions.

The executions come amid Iran’s ongoing conflict with Israel and follow periods of significant internal dissent within the Islamic Republic.

Sources: Iran Human Rights, Amnesty International, UN Human Rights Experts