Key facts
- Iran executed Mohammad Amini Dehaghani for actions during January 2026 protests.
- Dehaghani was convicted of setting fire to a governor's office in Isfahan.
- The charges included "moharebeh" (waging war against God) and "efsad-e fel-arz" (corruption on Earth).
- Human rights groups accuse Iran of using "wartime conditions" as a pretext for executions.
- Iran's judiciary also reported the execution of two men linked to the Islamic State group.
Iran executed Mohammad Amini Dehaghani, who was convicted of setting fire to a governor's office in Isfahan on January 9, 2026, during protests. The judiciary's Mizan news agency reported that the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence and all legal procedures were completed.
Dehaghani faced charges of "moharebeh" (waging war against God) and "efsad-e fel-arz" (corruption on Earth). The judiciary alleged he used a Molotov cocktail, attacked a police station, and damaged public property. Investigators cited CCTV footage and his confessions as evidence. He was also accused of distributing anti-government propaganda and communicating with entities linked to the Pahlavi royal family.
Large-scale protests, sparked by hyperinflation in December 2025, spread across Iran in January 2026. Human rights organizations have stated that defendants in protest-related cases often face opaque proceedings, lack independent legal representation, and that convictions are based on confessions allegedly extracted under torture. Amnesty International stated that Iranian authorities are using "wartime conditions" as a pretext to intensify their crackdown through mass arrests, accelerated trials, politically motivated executions, and asset confiscations.
Separately, Iran's judiciary announced the execution of two men, Mohyeddin Abdollahi and Hossein Palani, convicted of membership in the Islamic State group and charges including "baghi" (armed rebellion). The United Nations reported earlier this year that Iran had executed at least 40 people in the first half of 2026, including 18 in cases related to national security.