News Center — Iran ranks second in the world in the number of executions after China, according to international human rights reports that indicate the Iranian authorities continue to rely on this punishment at high rates, amid widespread criticism from human rights organizations warning of its use as a tool for political and social intimidation.

In 2025, Iran recorded the highest number of executions since 1989, with the punishment applied to at least 1,639 people, according to a joint report by the Human Rights Organization of Iran and Together Against the Death Penalty.

This figure represents a 68% increase compared to 2024. The two organizations warned of the consequences of the authorities using these executions as an intensive repressive tool to overcome current internal crises.

The Human Rights Organization of Iran explained that it does not include any execution in its reports before verifying it through at least two independent sources, noting that the majority of executions are not announced in the official Iranian media. Nevertheless, the organization affirms that the announced figure for 2025 is a "very conservative estimate," as the numbers indicate the implementation of at least four executions per day during the year.

The report indicated that this figure is the highest since the Human Rights Organization of Iran began documenting executions in 2008, and is also the largest number recorded since 1989 following the "Islamic Revolution."

The Iranian authorities carried out death sentences against seven people even during the war launched by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28, in connection with the protests of January last year. According to the report, six of these were convicted of belonging to the "Mujahedin-e Khalq" organization, while the seventh, who also holds Swedish citizenship, was convicted of "espionage for Israel."

The Executive Director of Together Against the Death Penalty stated that "the death penalty in Iran is used as a political tool for tyranny and repression, and is applied particularly against ethnic minorities and marginalized groups."

The report indicated that targeting especially affects Kurds in the west of the country and Baluch in the southeast, two groups belonging to the Sunni sect in a state with a Shia majority.

The death penalty was carried out against at least 48 women, the largest total in more than 20 years, representing a 55% increase compared to 2024, when 31 women were executed, according to the same source.

According to several human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Iran carries out the largest number of executions in the world per capita, and the largest number of death sentences among all countries except China, for which no reliable data is available regarding its situation in this regard.