UN: Iran executes 21, arrests 4,000 since war began

At least 21 people have been executed and more than 4,000 arrested in Iran since the start of the war two months ago, the UN human rights chief Volker Türk has said.

Türk said those executed included individuals linked to the January 2026 protests, alleged members of opposition groups, and people accused of espionage, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

He added that many others have been detained on national security-related charges.

“I am appalled that the rights of the Iranian people continue to be stripped from them,” Türk said, urging the authorities to halt executions and release those arbitrarily detained.

“In times of war, threats to human rights increase exponentially,” he said, adding that fundamental rights such as fair trial guarantees must be respected at all times.

By Aghakazim Guliyev