Iranian authorities have executed a man convicted of killing a police officer during clashes with fuel smugglers in 2022, the country’s judiciary has announced.
The judiciary’s Mizan Online website quoted local prosecutor Aref Akbari as saying the death sentence against the defendant, identified as Danial, had been carried out after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction.
The victim, Reza Ehterami, was a third lieutenant serving in the police emergency unit in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran. State media reports said he was run over by a vehicle driven by the defendant during the clashes.
The execution comes amid a wider increase in capital punishment in Iran. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised concerns over a surge in executions, particularly those linked to anti-government protests following the unrest that began in December 2025 and the outbreak of war in February 2026.
Iran carries out more executions annually than any country except China, according to human rights organizations, although reliable figures for China remain unavailable.
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