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Iran’s judiciary has announced the execution of a man convicted of running over several police officers during anti-government protests in January.
The judiciary’s Mizan Online website identified the man as Shahram Sadeghi, saying he was executed on Sunday after receiving a death sentence for what authorities described as “an operational action in support of the Zionist regime and the United States.”
According to the report, Sadeghi drove his vehicle into several police officers on January 8 in Karaj, a city west of Tehran, injuring seven officers during demonstrations that had spread across parts of the country.
The protests began in late December, initially driven by public anger over rising living costs, before expanding into broader anti-government demonstrations. The unrest reached its peak on January 8 and 9, when clashes between protesters and security forces intensified.
Iranian authorities have reported more than 3,000 deaths linked to the unrest, blaming what they described as “terrorist acts” backed by the United States and Israel. However, international rights organisations have disputed that account, saying security forces used live ammunition against demonstrators.
The execution comes as rights groups have reported a rise in capital punishment cases in Iran following the start of the Middle East conflict, which began on February 28 after US and Israeli strikes against Iranian targets.
A number of recent executions have been connected by Iranian authorities to the protests, according to rights monitors.
Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based non-governmental organisation, and Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM), a Paris-based group, said Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people last year, marking the highest annual figure recorded since 1989.
Amnesty International has also reported that Iran carries out the second-highest number of executions globally after China, based on available data.
The latest execution has renewed international scrutiny over Iran’s use of the death penalty, particularly in cases involving political unrest and demonstrations.
