Iran Sets Grim Record with Over 2,000 Executions in 2025 Amid Rising Human Rights Concerns
TEHRAN — Iran’s government has reportedly executed 2,013 prisoners so far in 2025, marking a devastating new high in the country’s use of capital punishment, according to a report released by the dissident group Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK). This figure more than doubles the 975 executions documented by the United Nations in 2024, which had already been the highest annual total since 2015.
The MEK report, provided to Fox News Digital, highlights a surge in executions amid a backdrop of economic turmoil, internal political strife, and renewed international sanctions. The Iranian currency has plummeted, and nationwide protests have erupted, intensifying the regime’s crackdown on dissent. The report states that 2025’s death toll is the highest since the 1980s, underscoring a deepening human rights crisis.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, who assumed office amid these escalating tensions, has faced widespread criticism for the regime’s harsh policies. In September, during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, Pezeshkian accused the United States of a “grave betrayal,” a statement that drew sharp rebukes from international observers.
The U.S. Department of State condemned the Iranian government’s use of executions as a tool of political repression. A spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “For decades, the regime has subjected Iranians to torture, forced confessions, and sham trials, resulting in unlawful executions. Today, innocent civilians are being used as scapegoats for the regime’s military and economic failures.”
The U.S. has intensified efforts to pressure Tehran, reinstating a “maximum pressure” policy that began under the Trump administration. Since January, Washington has designated dozens of individuals and over 180 vessels linked to Iran’s shadow fleet in an effort to deplete the regime’s resources. These measures represent a departure from the previous administration’s approach, which was criticized for allowing billions in funds to reach Tehran despite sanctions.
Experts emphasize that more robust actions are necessary. Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Iran Program, told Fox News Digital that the United States has “been lagging behind” other Western nations, such as Canada, which recently imposed sanctions on four Iranian officials following protests in Mashhad.
Taleblu highlighted the scale of repression, noting that Iran arrested over 21,000 people in the aftermath of the June 12-Day War protests. He warned that the regime’s attempts to relax certain social restrictions, including on hijab laws, are strategic moves to maintain its grip on power amid widespread unrest.
The United Nations has also taken a firm stance. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights recently adopted a resolution condemning Iran’s execution spree “in the strongest terms,” reflecting growing international alarm over Tehran’s human rights abuses.
Among those executed this year was a 67-year-old engineer sentenced after displaying a banner reading “Woman, Resistance, Freedom,” symbolizing the regime’s ruthless suppression of political expression.
Human rights organizations continue to call for urgent global action to halt the wave of executions and address the broader crisis. The Human Rights Watch has documented numerous cases of torture, unfair trials, and extrajudicial killings, urging the international community to hold Iranian authorities accountable.
As Iran’s execution tally climbs to unprecedented levels, the world faces mounting pressure to respond decisively to the regime’s escalating repression, which threatens not only the lives of thousands but the fragile stability of the region.
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