Iran said on Saturday (October 3, 2026) it had executed a man convicted of a raft of charges including firing a military-grade weapon at police officers during anti-government protests earlier this year.
Weeks later, in late February, the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on the Islamic republic, triggering the Middle East war. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened at the time to intervene militarily in Iran.
In 2025, Iran executed at least 1,639 people, the largest number in any year since 1989, according to the NGOs Iran Human Rights and Together Against the Death Penalty.
“Jamshidi was sentenced to death on charges of moharebeh through brandishing and firing a firearm, as well as conspiracy and collusion against national security,” Iran’s judiciary said, using the legal term moharebeh to mean “waging war against God”. The judiciary’s Mizan Online website said he was also found guilty of offences not related to the protests, including “fraud, making threats, theft, possession and carrying of an illegal military-grade weapon”. Mizan said Jamshidi was “active” during the demonstrations, which were sparked in December last year by grievances over living costs in Iran, but peaked on January 8 and 9 with huge rallies.
