Between April 21 and 23, the Iranian regime executed at least 22 prisoners across various cities in the country—a shocking figure that translates to one execution every three and a half hours.
These daily executions, carried out in prisons such as Ghezel Hesar, Yazd, Arak, Hamedan, and Gonabad, were on various charges—often vague and lacking judicial transparency. At their core, however, they carry a message from the regime’s leadership: the continuation of power through intimidation.
As the political atmosphere in the country is shaped by a new round of negotiations between the Iranian regime and the United States—recently held in Rome—the widespread wave of executions can be seen as a panicked reaction by the regime, driven by fear of social fracture and the eruption of public discontent.
Iran: Brutal Surge in Executions Amid Worsening Political Crisis
In Iran under the rule of the mullahs, execution has never merely been a judicial tool. It has always served as a political instrument to control public space, intimidate social activists, and suppress protest movements.
According to human rights organizations, many of these executions are carried out without fair trials, involving torture and forced confessions, and are executed under a media blackout.
Negotiations and Assassinations: Two Intersecting Pillars of Khamenei’s Policy
Notably, this wave of executions is occurring simultaneously with a new round of negotiations between Iran and the U.S., which are officially aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program and possibly returning to a form of agreement.
Historical precedent shows that the Iranian regime consistently ramps up security crackdowns and executions before or during sensitive negotiations—to demonstrate internal “power” and send a message to its counterpart. This two-pronged tactic is meant not only to deter domestic dissent but also to signal to the outside world: “We still hold power!”
The unprecedented acceleration of executions must be seen as part of an expensive—yet ultimately failed—strategy. The Iranian regime is intensifying this policy while facing a legitimacy and structural crisis at home and increasing international scrutiny abroad.
Iranian society, beyond the negotiations between the West and the regime, stands on the verge of a profound transformation.
