U.S. Iran Policy and Sanctions

A new report from the Iranian dissident group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) alleges that Iran executed 2,013 people between Jan. 1 and Dec. 15, 2025 under President Masoud Pezeshkian, more than double the 975 executions the U.N. recorded for 2024 and reportedly the highest annual toll since the 1980s. The disclosure coincides with a United Nations resolution condemning Iran’s execution spree and a U.S. State Department statement denouncing executions as a tool of political repression, while Washington touts expanded sanctions on Iran’s shadow fleet and experts urge stronger U.S. support for Iranian protesters.