Iran executed political prisoner Mojtaba Kian on Sunday after convicting him on accusations tied to cooperation with Israel and the United States, bringing the number of people put to death on political and security-related charges since March 17 to at least 37.
The judiciary’s Mizan news agency said Kian was convicted of “intelligence activity for Israel and the United States” and sending information related to Iran’s defense industries,
Kian, Mizan said, was accused of transmitting coordinates and information about defense industry units to “networks affiliated with Israel and the United States” during attacks by the two countries against the Islamic Republic. The judiciary said a court sentenced him to death and confiscation of property.
Mizan said fewer than 50 days passed between Kian’s arrest and execution on May 24, describing the case as part of orders for “decisive and swift” handling of files linked to alleged cooperation with Israel and the United States.
The execution marks a sharp increase in the pace of political and security-related executions in Iran over recent weeks.
The HRANA human rights news agency previously reported that the Islamic Republic executed at least 52 prisoners on political and security-related charges between March 2025 and 2026.
Based on those figures, the rate of such executions has risen from roughly one per week earlier in the year to about one every two days over the past two months.
Concerns over accelerated prosecutions
The speed of Kian’s arrest, prosecution and execution has deepened concerns over due process in political and security-related cases in Iran.
Cases involving espionage and national security accusations in the Islamic Republic have long drawn scrutiny from rights groups and lawyers over allegations of forced confessions, torture, restricted access to independent lawyers and denial of fair trial guarantees.
Iran’s judiciary did not disclose the exact date of Kian’s arrest, details of court proceedings, whether he or his family had access to a lawyer of their choosing or how the Supreme Court reviewed the case.
Thousands detained after attacks
Iranian security forces have detained thousands of people across the country on political and security accusations since attacks by the United States and Israel began on February 28.
Police chief Ahmadreza Radan said on May 17 that security forces had arrested 6,500 people since the start of the conflict.
Radan described the detainees as “traitors and spies,” accusations that lawyers and human rights organizations say Iranian authorities frequently use against opponents and protesters.
Human rights groups have warned that mass arrests combined with accelerated judicial proceedings in security cases could place more detainees at risk of execution.
