Iran’s Public Executions Highlight Regime’s Strategic Crisis Amid Widespread Protests
Iran’s recent public executions in Isfahan mark more than just a crackdown on protests; they reveal deep internal turmoil within the country. Authorities executed protesters arrested during demonstrations at Ali Khani Square, including Amir Hossein Safari and Abolfazl Sepahi, alongside other defendants. This occurred just days after two others, Arfan Espandiyari and Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi, were executed on July 19 in the same case. All were convicted in rapid collective trials on charges of "moharebeh" (waging war against God and the state) without independent legal representation.
Human rights organizations documented dozens of executions across Iran in June and July, targeting political prisoners and protesters in Tehran, Kurdish and Baloch regions, as well as quiet executions in central prisons on criminal charges. Despite the regime’s display of harsh power through public hangings in major cities, this tactic reflects strategic distress and deep fear of losing control amid a severe economic crisis and widespread public frustration.
The regime appears to have abandoned civil containment measures, resorting instead to "maximum deterrence" to preempt new protest waves. However, videos show that the public remains defiant, with crowds gathering at prison gates, violent clashes with security forces, and Basij paramilitary units firing at demonstrators. Rather than suppressing dissent, public executions have become focal points of unrest, intensifying hostility between the population and the government and fostering a sense of desperation.
This cycle of repression and resistance echoes historical patterns, reminiscent of the Shah’s regime repression that ultimately led to its downfall in 1979. The frequent use of the gallows risks backfiring, fueling further unrest instead of quelling it. Continued developments are expected as Iran’s internal crisis deepens.
The analysis was provided by Lt. Col. (res.) Amit Yagur, former deputy head of the Palestinian arena in the IDF Planning Directorate and senior naval intelligence officer.
