Rights Groups Say Iran Escalates Political Executions Under War Cover
The article reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran is on pace to surpass its already‑record 2025 execution total, with the Iran Human Rights Society citing 657 executions in the first three months of this year and UN Special Rapporteur Mai Sato confirming at least six to eight executions between the start of the current U.S.-Israeli war and March 31. Sato says the known victims include protesters, an alleged Israeli spy and people charged with “armed rebellion,” and warns that Iran’s wartime internet blackout makes it impossible to know how many more have been killed or are at imminent risk. The exiled National Council of Resistance of Iran details the recent execution of four named members of its PMOI/MEK dissident group and says two others have been moved to death row, while Maryam Rajavi urges states to shut Iranian embassies and expel what she calls Tehran’s “terrorist diplomats.” A U.S. State Department spokesperson, speaking to Fox News, calls Iran’s latest executions “barbaric” and argues they show why the regime must not be allowed to retain the advanced capabilities U.S. forces are now trying to destroy. The UN human‑rights office previously estimated Iran carried out at least 1,500 executions in 2025, and rights advocates say the current surge underscores how Tehran is using wartime conditions and information controls to intensify domestic repression even as it confronts U.S. and Israeli military pressure.
📌 Key Facts
- Iran Human Rights Society reports 657 executions in Iran in the first three months of the year, after at least 1,500 in 2025 per the UN human‑rights office.
- UN Special Rapporteur Mai Sato confirms at least six executions since the Iran war began through March 30, plus two more on March 31, including protesters and alleged security offenders.
- The NCRI says four named PMOI/MEK members were executed on March 30 and 31 and two more have been moved toward execution, while a U.S. State Department spokesperson denounces the killings as further evidence Iran cannot be trusted with advanced capabilities now being targeted by U.S. strikes.
📊 Relevant Data
Kurds in Iran, who comprise 8% to 17% of the population (7 to 14 million out of 93 million), accounted for 14% of total state executions and 47% of detainees in 2025, with systemic persecution intensified post-war.
Punishing Vulnerability: Iran’s Minority Crackdown After the 12-Day War — New Lines Institute
At least 70 Baloch prisoners were executed in Iran-controlled Balochistan in the first six months of 2025, representing a disproportionate rate given that Baloch people comprise about 2-4% of Iran's population.
Iran Records Sharp Rise in Executions in 2025, Iran-Controlled Balochistan Among Worst Affected — The Balochistan Post
In 2025, 85 Afghan nationals were executed in Iran out of at least 1,858 total executions (about 4.6%), roughly proportional to their estimated 5% share of the population (around 4.5 million Afghans in Iran), but they face disproportionate vulnerability due to the opacity of the judicial system and limited legal protections.
Iran Executes Three Afghan Nationals amid Rising Use of Death Penalty — KabulNow
Major waves of Afghan migration to Iran began with the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, with subsequent conflicts driving further migration, and recent increases following the US withdrawal and Taliban return to power in 2021.
One of the World's Largest Refugee Populations, Afghans Have Found a Harsh Existence in Iran — Migration Policy Institute
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