'Killing off the country': Iran executes dozens, arrests 4,000+ in war crackdown

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk connected Tuesday accused Iran’s authorities of dramatically intensifying its crackdown connected dissent successful nan aftermath of nan February conflict, informing that Tehran has carried retired executions, wide arrests, torture and 1 of nan world’s longest net shutdowns while invoking nationalist security.

In a sharply worded connection from Geneva, Türk said astatine slightest 21 group person been executed and much than 4,000 arrested connected nationalist security-related charges since Feb. 28, arsenic nan authorities faces mounting scrutiny complete what he described arsenic a sweeping battle connected basal rights. 

"I americium appalled that, connected apical of nan already terrible impacts of nan conflict, nan authorities of nan Iranian group proceed to beryllium stripped from them by nan authorities, successful harsh and sadistic ways," Türk said.

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A protester holds 'Stop executions successful Iran' and 'Free Iran' placards during nan demonstration. Demonstrators gathered extracurricular Downing Street successful protestation against executions successful Iran and successful support of state for Iran.  (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Since nan commencement of nan conflict 2 months ago, nan U.N. said 9 group person been executed successful relationship pinch nan January 2026 protests, 10 for alleged rank successful guidance groups, and 2 connected espionage charges. It's estimated that immoderate 40,000 group were killed by authorities forces during January's uprising.

Türk warned that Iran’s wide usage of vaguely defined nationalist information laws has enabled authorities to fast-track prosecutions, contradict ineligible counsel, and trust connected coerced confessions.

"Even wherever nationalist information is invoked, quality authorities tin only beryllium constricted wherever strictly basal and proportionate," he said, calling connected Tehran to halt executions, enforce a moratorium connected superior punishment, and instantly merchandise those arbitrarily detained.

For galore Iranian dissidents, nan findings bespeak an already dire reality.

A advertisement depicting Iran's ultimate leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed supra a road successful Tehran connected March 10, 2026. Iran marked nan assignment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to switch his begetter arsenic its ultimate leader connected March 9, 2026.  (AFP/Via Getty Images)

"It is bad," Banafsheh Zand, an Iranian-American journalist and editor of nan Iran So Far Away Substack, told Fox News Digital. "They’re wholly killing disconnected nan country."

Türk’s agency said detainees person reportedly faced enforced disappearances, torture, mock executions, and televised confessions, pinch taste and belief minorities including Bahá’ís, Zoroastrians, Kurds and Baluch Iranians facing peculiar risk.

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Ali and Kiana Rahmani judge nan Nobel Peace Prize 2023 connected behalf of their mother, imprisoned Iranian quality authorities activistic Narges Mohammadi, astatine Oslo City Hall successful Norway connected Dec. 10, 2023. (Javad Parsa/NTB/Reuters)

Among those cited by nan U.N. was imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, whose information sharply worsened Friday aft what her family described arsenic a catastrophic wellness situation pursuing months of being denied specialized care.

According to a connection from nan Narges Foundation that was published Friday, Mohammadi was urgently transferred by ambulance from Zanjan Prison to a infirmary aft suffering 2 episodes of complete nonaccomplishment of consciousness successful a azygous day, accompanied by terrible cardiac distress. The instauration said situation doctors wished her information could nary longer beryllium managed on-site aft what her family called a "last-minute" transportation that whitethorn person travel dangerously late.

Her husband, Taghi Rahmani, told Fox News Digital earlier this week that her beingness information had already go progressively dire aft what he described arsenic a convulsive apprehension and deteriorating situation treatment. "She has sustained terrible trauma and urgently requires aesculapian attention."

Rahmani antecedently said Mohammadi’s aesculapian squad and extracurricular specialists had pushed for curen successful Tehran owed to her history of aggregate bosom procedures, while authorities allegedly blocked those recommendations until her information became life-threatening. Despite her beingness decline, Rahmani said, "Spiritually and mentally, Narges remains steadfast."

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In this photograph obtained by The Associated Press, tear state is fired during an anti-government protestation successful Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (UGC via AP) (UGC via AP)

The U.N. statement, mixed pinch Mohammadi’s emergency hospitalization, has intensified scrutiny of Iran’s situation conditions, which Türk described arsenic marked by overcrowding, aesculapian neglect, and terrible quality authorities abuses.

Türk besides cited dire situation conditions, including overcrowding, shortages of food, h2o and medicine, and denial of aesculapian care.

The U.N. further highlighted reports of lethal unit successful detention facilities, including claims that information forces killed astatine slightest 5 detainees successful Chabahar Prison aft protests complete suspended nutrient distribution.

But while dissidents welcomed nan U.N.’s unusually forceful language, immoderate besides questioned whether condemnation without action tin meaningfully change conditions, particularly arsenic Iran this week was elevated to a vice-chair domiciled connected a U.N. atomic nonproliferation committee.

"The logic why Iranians conscionable don't trust, don't for illustration and don't want to cognize from nan U.N.," Zand said, is what she described arsenic its repeated nonaccomplishment "to emergence to nan juncture of responding to nan authorities and holding their feet to nan occurrence astatine nan correct time... pinch nan correct magnitude of pressure."

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Iranian diaspora activists gathered successful beforehand of nan German Federal Foreign Office successful Berlin connected Jan. 27, 2024, to protestation nan summation successful decease sentences by Iran's Islamic Republic rulers. The objection was organized by nan Echo Iran group. (Echo Iran/Middle East Images/AFP)

While she said nan latest connection itself was important, Zand based on galore position specified condemnations arsenic hollow erstwhile paired pinch what they spot arsenic organization legitimacy granted to Tehran.

"They're making a statement... fine," she said. "But what are they gonna do astir it?"