Iran | Executions in Gorgan, Ahvaz, Ilam, Kashan, Sanandaj, Shiraz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); September 30, 2025: Khashayar Amiri, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Gorgan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Gorgan Central Prison on 28 September 2025. His identity has been established as Khashayar Amiri from Rasht. He was arrested around three years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 503 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only under 3% were announced by official sources. 17% of all drug-related executions in 2024 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population. At least 426 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first eight months of 2025.

Execution in Ahvaz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); September 30, 2025: Jahan Houshmand, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison on 24 September 2025. His identity has been established as 36-year-old Jahan Houshmand from Dezful. He was arrested around six years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

Crucially, while an indicative amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money. Should the victim’s family choose execution, they are not only encouraged to attend, but also to physically carry out the execution themselves.

According to IHRNGO’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 419 people including a juvenile offender and 19 women, were executed for murder charges, the highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 12% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2024, Iran Human Rights also recorded 649 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions. In the first eight months of 2025, at least 375 people were executed for murder charges in Iran.

Execution in Ilam

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); September 30, 2025: Farhad Mehdipour, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Ilam Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Ilam Central Prison on 24 September 2025. His identity has been established as 30-year-old Farhad Mehdipour from Dareh Shahr in Ilam. He was arrested around six years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

IHRNGO previously reported the execution of Ali Saberi, bringing the total number of executions at the prison to two that day.

Execution in Kashan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); September 30, 2025: Koroush Saadati, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Kashan Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Kashan Prison on 28 September 2025. His identity has been established as 26-year-old Kourosh Saadati from Lahijan. He was arrested for the murder of his cousin and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Execution in Sanandaj

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); September 30, 2025: Mahmoud Gheitarani, a Kurdish man on death row for murder, was executed in Sanandaj Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Sanandaj Central Prison on 30 September 2025. His identity has been established as Mahmoud Gheitarani, a 60-year-old Kurdish man from the village of Bardispy in Marivan. He was arrested for the murder of his brother three years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Five hanged in Shiraz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); September 29, 2025: Aria Soltani, Esmail Rahimitabar, Mehran Sahrayi, Manouchehr Shahbazi and Ghodrat Dehghani were executed for murder and drug-related offences in Shiraz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, four men were hanged in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 28 September 2025. Three of them were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder. Their identities have been established as 43-year-old Esmail Rahimitabar from the village of Kuh Mareh Sorkhi in Shiraz, 43-year-old Mehran Sahrayi from Isfahan and 33-year-old Manouchehr Shahbazi from Kazeroun. Esmail was arrested for an honour killing five years ago, Mehran was arrested five years ago and Manouchehr was also arrested for an honour killing four years ago.

The fourth man has been identified as Ghodrat Dehghani from Shiraz. He was arrested four years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

Furthermore, another man was hanged at the prison on 24 September. His identity has been established as 28-year-old Aria Soltani from Shiraz who was arrested for murder over five years ago. IHRNGO previously reported the executions of Kamran Ramin Amirzadegan and Morad Hemati, bringing the total number of executions to three at the prison that day.

At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, September 29-30, 2025

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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