ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian authorities on Tuesday executed two more young men detained during January’s anti-government protests in the city of Isfahan, as families of the detainees gathered at dawn to protest against the executions which were carried out after morning prayers.
Amir Hossein Safari and Abolfazl Sepahi were hanged in connection with a case involving several protesters accused of killing four members of the security forces during the January nationwide protests, during which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other security forces killed tens of thousands of protesters.
Families of the detainees gathered in Alikhani Square in Isfahan, where authorities had erected gallows to hang the men. There were also reports of clashes between protesters and police special units according to outlets such as telegram channel Vahid Online. State media initially reported that three protesters had been hanged, but the judiciary’s Mizan website later said only two had been executed.
Iranian authorities have used executions, including public hangings, since the 1979 revolution as a fearmongering tactic to intimidate the public.
At least three dozen political prisoners, including protesters, have been hanged since January, when demonstrations over the dire economic situation spread from Tehran’s bazaar to the rest of the country.
Iranian security forces killed thousands of protesters on January 8 and 9, with estimates ranging from 15,000, according to US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) who has verified at least 7,000 cases, to 52,000, according to US President Donald Trump.
The Alikhani Square case in Isfahan involves several defendants. Two of them, Erfan Esfandiari and Golmohammad Mohammadi, were executed recently.
“The case of the horrific crime at Isfahan’s Alikhani Square has several defendants whose hands are stained with the blood of the country’s security protectors,” IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency said.
“Some time ago, two of the main elements of this crime, named Erfan Esfandiyari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, were hanged as punishment.”
Authorities said Sepahi and Safari had played a “direct role” in the killing of four members of the security forces.
The executions come amid fears that additional detainees face imminent execution. Authorities detained thousands, possibly tens of thousands, during the protests and the six-week war launched by the United States and Israel in late February, accusing many of collaborating with the enemy - an offense that carries the death penalty.
Iranian and international human rights organizations have warned that authorities in Tehran could execute more political prisoners if the government survives the current pressure from the United States.
According to Norway-based organization Iran Human Rights, at least 424 people have been executed in Iran to date this year.
The group recorded 11 public hangings in 2025, bringing the total number of executions to 1,639.
