Iran has carried out the execution of six men accused of launching armed attacks and bombings in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, state media reported on Saturday. The move marks the latest in a series of executions linked by Tehran to Israel, following the intense 12-day conflict with Israel and the United States in June.
According to the judiciary’s official outlet, Mizan, the six men described as “separatist terrorist elements” were hanged at dawn. Authorities alleged that the group had conducted multiple armed operations and bombings in recent years, destabilizing security in Khuzestan. The judiciary also accused them of involvement in the killings of four security personnel, including two police officers and two members of the Basij paramilitary force, between 2018 and 2019.
State media further claimed that the group confessed to sabotage activities, including manufacturing and planting explosives and attempting to blow up a gas station in the city of Khorramshahr. The report also suggested that one of the executed men, Bahman Choobiasl, had worked on “sensitive telecommunications projects” and was linked to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.
Iran’s Supreme Court reportedly upheld the death sentences after rejecting appeals, convicting the men on charges of “corruption on Earth” — a charge often leveled in cases of terrorism and espionage. While the judiciary announced the executions, it did not disclose the identities of all six individuals or details about their trials, raising fresh concerns among human rights groups about transparency and due process.
Tehran has long accused Israel of backing separatist groups in Khuzestan, a restive region with a history of ethnic unrest. Iranian officials argue that these groups are part of broader attempts by Israel and its allies to destabilize the Islamic Republic. The executions are part of what analysts describe as an “accelerated crackdown” since the June war, which saw unprecedented Israeli strikes inside Iran and retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Tehran.
During the June conflict, Israel targeted several senior Iranian military officials, nuclear scientists, and even residential areas, prompting Iranian retaliation with barrages of missiles and drones. Amnesty International reported that Israeli airstrikes during those 12 days killed at least 1,100 people in Iran. The United States was also accused of conducting strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in support of Israel during the hostilities.
In a separate case, Iranian authorities confirmed the execution of Kurdish fighter Saman Mohammadi on Saturday. Mohammadi, who had been in custody since 2013, was accused of “Moharebeh” — or waging war against God. He was charged with involvement in the 2009 assassination of the Friday prayers leader in Sanandaj, as well as armed robberies, kidnappings, and the killing of a conscript soldier.
These executions come shortly after Iran announced the hanging of Bahman Choobiasl, whom officials described as “one of Israel’s most important spies in Iran.” Human rights organizations say the rapid succession of executions highlights Tehran’s growing use of capital punishment in response to both internal unrest and its ongoing confrontation with Israel.
According to figures from Iran Human Rights, based in Oslo, and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center in Washington, DC, Iran has executed more than 1,000 people in 2025 alone. Rights groups caution that the actual figure may be higher, as not all executions are publicly reported. Iran now ranks as the world’s second most prolific executor after China, according to Amnesty International.
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