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Iran has executed a man after convicting him on charges linked to protests that spread across the country last winter, the judiciary announced on Wednesday.
The judiciary’s Mizan Online news website reported that Mehdi Khanaki was executed after the death sentence was approved by the Supreme Court.
“The death penalty against Mehdi Khanaki, a member of an active terrorist group during the protests, was carried out after confirmation by the supreme court,” the report said.
Protests that began in late December over the rising cost of living quickly spread across Iran and later included political demands.
The demonstrations were met with a government crackdown, which rights groups say resulted in thousands of deaths.
Iranian authorities described the protests as riots supported by the United States and Israel, claiming about 3,000 people were killed in the unrest.
According to Mizan, Khanaki was arrested on February 10 in Karaj, west of Tehran, while allegedly carrying a large number of weapons.
The website said the weapons were used in shootings in January.
Khanaki was sentenced to death and had his property confiscated after being accused of acting in support of “the Zionist and American regimes,” Mizan reported.
The number of executions in Iran has increased since the start of the Middle East war on February 28, with many cases linked to the protests.
Amnesty International says Iran carries out the second-highest number of executions in the world after China.
