Iran | Executions in Sanandaj, Arak, Taybad, Nahavand, Rasht, Hamedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2025: Taleb Hojratipour, 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 6 October 2025. His identity has been established as 45-year-old Taleb Hojratipour, a Kurdish man from the village of Bardehrasheh in Marivan. He was arrested eleven 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 nine months of 2025, at least 457 people were executed for murder charges in Iran.

Execution in Arak

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2025: Rasoul Nouri, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Arak Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Arak Central Prison on 28 September 2025. His identity has been established as Rasoul Nouri from Arak. He was arrested six years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

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 517 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first nine months of 2025.

Execution in Taybad

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2025: Mojtaba Mahdavi and Fahim Ahmadi (Afghan national), two men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Taybad Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Taybad Prison on 21 September 2025. Their identities have been established as 34-year-old Mojtaba Mahdavi and Fahim Ahmadi, an Afghan national.

Mojtaba was arrested two years ago and Fahim, four years ago. They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Execution in Nahavand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2025: Bijan Soleimani, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Nahavand Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Nahavand Prison on 24 September 2025. His identity has been established as 48-year-old Bijan Soleimani from Nahavand. He was arrested five 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.

Group execution in Rasht

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2025: Jafar Pourverdi, Heydar Rezayipour and Houshang Rahmantalab, three men on death row for separate murders, were executed in Rasht Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Rasht Central Prison on 1st October 2025. Their identities have been established as 35-year-old Jafar Pourverdi from Amol, 40-year-old Heydar Rezayipour from Rasht and 46-year-old Houshang Rahmantalab from Rasht.

Jafar was arrested six years ago, Heydar and Houshang were arrested four years ago. They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for separate murders by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Houshang was a crane operater and had got into a fight with someone at work that led to the other man being killed.”

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

Group execution in Hamedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2025: Kamran Navabi, Soleiman Mohammadvand and an Afghan national only identified as Khorram were executed for drug-related offences in Hamedan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Hamedan Central Prison on 1st October 2025. Their identities have been established as Kamran Navabi from Assad Abad in Hamedan, 32-year-old Soleiman Mohammadvand from Aligudarz and an Afghan national only identified as Khorram (surname unknown).

Kamran was arrested four years ago and Soleiman, five years ago. They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, October 6, 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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