Iranian authorities have executed two individuals — including one Afghan national — in separate murder cases, according to HRANA, a human rights news agency.
The men, identified as Saud Mirzaei, an Afghan citizen, and Wahid Ashouri, a 30-year-old Iranian from Yazd, had been convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to death. The Iran Human Rights Organization, which confirmed the identities, said Mr. Mirzaei was sentenced three years ago by the Iranian judiciary.
In a statement, the organization said the executions reflect a broader escalation in the use of the death penalty in Iran, particularly against Afghan nationals. It linked the uptick to political developments in neighboring Afghanistan, suggesting that executions of Afghan prisoners have increased since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
At least 80 Afghan citizens were executed in Iran in 2024, the group reported.
Amnesty International, in a separate report, said Iran carried out at least 972 executions last year — a rise of 119 compared with the year before. The country remains one of the world’s leading users of capital punishment.
