Iran's executions top 2,100 in 2025 as Khomeini's doctrine proves immutable
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Iran's execution rate has accelerated sharply since US-Israeli airstrikes began in February, with at least 101 executions recorded in June 2026. The regime's foundational doctrine, articulated by Ayatollah Khomeini, mandates harsh punishment for dissent and permits any means to preserve the state. Critics say the US-Israeli military strategy has failed to alter the Islamic Republic's repressive calculus.
The Doctrine
The Islamic Republic’s foundation rests on Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s principle that any act against the regime must be met with the harshest punishment. In a 1988 letter to then-president Ali Khamenei, Khomeini expanded this to ‘absolute guardianship of the jurist’ (velayat-e motlaqe-ye faqih), asserting that state interests override all secondary Islamic tenets, including prayer and pilgrimage. This doctrine justifies Revolutionary Courts handing down death sentences to political detainees often without independent legal representation.
Escalating Executions
Iran executed at least 2,159 people in 2025, more than double the previous year’s toll. Since February 2026, at least 40 have been executed on politically motivated charges, and after the March 27 ceasefire, executions rose further, reaching at least 101 in June. The government acknowledges 3,117 protester deaths, while rights group HRANA counts over 6,000 confirmed killings, with other estimates ranging from 17,000 to 36,500. More than 70 protesters are on death row in Isfahan, and at least 26 have been moved to solitary confinement.
Failed Military Pressure
The US-Israeli strategy assumed that a war of attrition combined with President Donald Trump’s threats would alter the regime’s behavior or spark mass unrest. Instead, months of strikes have not produced the critical uprising or political shift sought. The execution data and continued repression indicate that the Islamic Republic’s internal security apparatus remains intact and responsive to the same doctrinal imperatives.
What's Next
The Iranian regime is expected to maintain or even escalate the pace of executions as it consolidates control. It remains unclear whether internal dissent can ever mount a credible challenge while the US-Israeli campaign fails to address the ideological core of the regime’s repression.
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Iran's executions top 2,100 in 2025 as Khomeini's doctrine proves immutable
