Iran executes man convicted of arson during anti-government unrest

Iran has executed a man convicted of setting fire to a local government building and a police station during unrest earlier this year, after the country's Supreme Court upheld his death sentence, according to Iranian authorities.

The judiciary said Mohammad Amini Dehaghani was executed early on Wednesday (July 15) following the completion of legal procedures. He had been convicted of moharebeh ("waging war against God") and efsad-e fel arz ("spreading corruption on Earth"), charges frequently used in Iran in cases involving national security.

According to the semi-official Mehr News Agency, the case stemmed from unrest in the central city of Dehaghan in January 2026. Iranian authorities described the events as part of what they called a "US-Zionist coup attempt" aimed at overthrowing the Islamic Republic, a characterisation that has not been independently verified.

Authorities said CCTV footage and the defendant's statements showed he threw a Molotov cocktail at the Dehaghan governor's office on January 9, causing a fire. They also alleged that he threw a second Molotov cocktail at a local police station and encouraged others to attack the facility.

According to Iranian officials, the defendant admitted during the investigation that he had thrown the incendiary devices. They also said he acknowledged asking to use a Kalashnikov rifle that had allegedly been taken from security personnel during the unrest.

Prosecutors further accused Dehaghani of disseminating anti-government content online, contacting opposition-linked social media accounts, requesting weapons through those channels, and sharing images of military equipment.

Iranian authorities said Dehaghani repeated his admissions during a trial attended by his lawyer. Following the proceedings, the court sentenced him to death, citing his alleged role in attacking public buildings, possessing or seeking to use a stolen firearm, and endangering national security.

The Supreme Court later rejected his appeal and upheld the sentence. The execution was carried out after the ruling became final, according to the judiciary.

By Aghakazim Guliyev