Iran is carrying out executions at a record pace, raising international alarm just days before nuclear negotiations with the United States are set to continue in Oman. At least 22 people were hanged this week alone, bringing the total number of executions since President Masoud Pezeshkian — who has been labeled a “moderate” — took office in July to nearly 1,100. According to figures from the (NCRI), this represents a 20% rise compared to last year’s 853 executions — averaging one execution every 5.5 hours.
Observers suggest the sudden spike stems from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s fear of domestic unrest, combined with concerns that Donald Trump, if reelected, may demand an end to Iran’s execution practices as a condition for any new nuclear agreement.
The situation has worsened following reports that five prominent political prisoners — Vahid Bani Amerian, Seyed Mohammad Taghavi, Babak Alipour, Pouya Ghobadi, and Shahrokh Daneshvarkar — were transferred from Evin Prison to Qezelhessar Prison, known for carrying out executions.
Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the NCRI, called for the international community to tie any negotiations with Iran to a cessation of torture and executions. She insisted Ayatollah Khamenei and other leaders be held accountable for crimes against humanity and genocide, stating, “After suffering irreparable setbacks in the region and facing the growing threat of an uprising, the regime has brutally accelerated executions and massacres.”
In Britain, Baroness Nuala O’Loan, a crossbench peer in the House of Lords and a long-time advocate for human rights in Iran, warned Western nations against overlooking Tehran’s atrocities for the sake of political deals. “It would be a grave mistake to allow the mullahs to believe that the West will remain silent about Tehran’s egregious and appalling human rights record for the sake of nuclear negotiations,” she said. “The issue of human rights must be front and center in any serious talks.”
Amnesty International reports that Iran was responsible for over 64% of confirmed executions worldwide in 2024, making it the world’s leading executioner per capita. The NCRI also noted that the trend has only worsened since Pezeshkian assumed office.
Calls are growing louder that any engagement with Iran must be strictly conditioned on a complete halt to executions and the end of torture in its notorious prison system.