Iran executes two men over roles in anti-government protests

Iran’s judiciary has announced the execution of two men convicted over their alleged involvement in anti-government protests in the northeastern city of Mashhad. The judiciary’s Mizan Online website identified the men as Ali Hemmati and Majid Nik-Andish. It said they were found guilty of involvement in January riots that resulted in the deaths of four security personnel.

The website also accused the men of causing extensive damage to public property by setting fire to shops, banks, buses and trees. Their sentences were confirmed by the Supreme Court before they were hanged early on Wednesday. The protests began in December over the rising cost of living and developed into wider anti-government demonstrations.

According to the report, the movement peaked on January 8 and 9. Iranian authorities have reported more than 3,000 deaths and attributed the violence to what they called terrorist acts orchestrated by the United States and Israel. Foreign-based non-governmental organisations, however, have said security forces fired on protesters.

The report said arrests and executions had increased since a joint attack by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28, which triggered a wider Middle East war, according to the source material. Iran executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, the report said, citing Iran Human Rights and Together Against the Death Penalty. Amnesty International considers Iran the country with the second-highest number of executions after China.