Iran Executions Spark Protests and Deepen Regime Divisions

Public hangings of two protesters in Isfahan have ignited street demonstrations, challenging the Iranian regime's long‑standing reliance on capital punishment to suppress dissent. The executions have also intensified a campaign dubbed “No to Execution Tuesdays,” which has drawn support from more than 1,500 death‑row inmates at Qezel Hesar Prison.

Separately, five prisoners convicted on drug‑related charges were carried out at Taybad Prison, while the execution of Alikhani Square protester Alireza Sepahi was postponed after he suffered a stroke. Human‑rights observers say Sepahi’s trial suffered due‑process violations and that evidence suggests he was not present at the incident for which he was sentenced.

Hard‑line parliamentarian Hamid Rasaei defended the death penalties, accusing opponents of undermining “lawful punishment.” The regime’s defensive posture highlights growing internal disagreement over the efficacy of executions as a tool of control.