Iran executes protester accused of running over cops during January unrest

Iran executed a man on Sunday who had been sentenced to death over his alleged role in anti-government protests in January, according to the country's judiciary.

The judiciary's Mizan Online website identified the man as Shahram Sadeghi and said he was executed after being convicted of an action allegedly carried out in support of Israel and the United States.

"Shahram Sadeghi, sentenced to death for having carried out an operational action in support of the Zionist regime and the United States, was executed this morning," the website said, per a report by NDTV.

According to the judiciary, Sadeghi drove his car into several police officers on January 8 in Karaj, west of Tehran. The incident reportedly left seven officers injured.

Protests escalated in January

The demonstrations began in late December, initially driven by anger over the rising cost of living. The unrest later expanded into wider anti-government protests, reaching their peak on January 8 and 9.

Iranian authorities have said more than 3,000 people were killed during the unrest and have blamed what they described as "terrorist acts" linked to the United States and Israel.

Rights organisations based outside Iran, however, have disputed the government's account and said security forces opened fire on protesters.

Executions rise amid unrest

The latest execution comes amid a broader increase in executions in Iran, with several cases reportedly linked to the protests.

Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based rights organisation, and Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM), based in Paris, said Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025. The figure was described as the highest recorded annual total in Iran since 1989.

The number of executions has also increased since the start of the Middle East war on February 28, which began with US and Israeli strikes against Iran.

Amnesty International has said Iran carries out the second-highest number of executions globally after China.