Iran’s Judiciary Vows Relentless Crackdown as Executions Hit 1,639 in 2025

TL;DR: Iran’s judiciary has pledged an uncompromising campaign against suspected foreign agents as the country records 1,639 executions in 2025, a 68% rise from the previous year.

The judiciary announced on state television that it will act “decisively against the enemies’ mercenaries without leniency until the very last one.” The statement follows a spate of hangings linked to protests and national‑security charges.

In 2025, Iran carried out at least 1,639 executions, up 68% from 2024. Since the war that began in February, the United Nations reports 21 people have been executed and more than 4,000 arrested on national‑security grounds. The surge includes men convicted of espionage for Israel, members of the exiled Mojahedin‑e‑Khalq group, and protesters accused of “cooperation with the enemy."

The judiciary’s rhetoric targets individuals it labels as agents of foreign powers, particularly Israel’s Mossad. Recent cases feature three men from Mashhad who were executed after televised confessions describing attacks on Basij paramilitary forces with knives and swords. In Isfahan, a 21‑year‑old was hanged for stone‑throwing at a security convoy and damaging public transport.

Authorities claim the legal process remains legitimate, with Supreme Court judges approving each death sentence. Human‑rights groups, however, allege rushed trials, intimidation of families, and lack of fair representation. The government rejects these accusations.

Asset seizures accompany the crackdown. In Semnan province, officials confiscated property from 22 individuals described as “traitors” linked to the Zionist regime. Judges have also warned of harsh penalties for hoarding or price‑gouging amid soaring food, medicine, and electronics costs.

The intensified executions and asset freezes signal Tehran’s strategy to deter dissent and portray foreign interference as an existential threat. By framing protesters and alleged spies as mercenaries, the regime seeks to justify a broader security sweep that consolidates power domestically while signaling resolve to external adversaries.

What to watch next: whether international pressure or internal unrest will curb the judiciary’s death‑penalty surge and how the crackdown will affect Iran’s diplomatic posture toward the United States and Israel.