The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Mai Sato, has warned that the Islamic Republic is increasing its use of executions as a tool to suppress dissent as she presented her first report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
“The pace is accelerating with at least 169 known executions identified in January and February alone. Should this alarming rate remain consistent, the total number of executions could exceed 1,000 this year, a chilling threshold that demands a collective global response,” Sato warned.
Last year, at least 975 people were executed in Iran, a 17% increase from the 834 executions recorded the previous year, according to a joint report released by the Iran Human Rights Organization (IHRNGO) and Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM).
It has stepped up since the 2022 uprising. In 2023, the UN quickly identified Tehran's utilising the death penalty to quash dissent.
"Criminal proceedings and the death penalty are being weaponised by the Iranian government to punish individuals participating in protests and to strike fear into the population so as to stamp out dissent, in violation of international human rights law," the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said at the time.
Sato also highlighted the ongoing discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities, the lack of transparency in human rights cases, and the continued crackdown on protests and dissent.
Religious minorities, including Baha’is, Sunnis, and Christian converts, as well as ethnic groups such as Turks, Kurds, Arabs, and Baluchis, remain targets of state repression, she said.
She cited reports of arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, and executions targeting these communities.
Sato also raised concerns about the rising number of executions of women, naming three political prisoners—Pakhshan Azizi, Varishe Moradi, and Sharifeh Mohammadi—who are currently on death row.
At least 179 cases of femicide were documented in Iran last year, she said, adding that women in Iran continue to face systemic discrimination under laws that devalue their testimony in court and restrict their rights in employment and other areas.
Sato said human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers are being harassed, intimidated, and threatened, particularly in Iranian prisons, where many are denied medical treatment.
She also noted that families of political prisoners face threats outside of prison.
UN fact-finding mission reports sexual violence in Iranian prisons
Sara Hussain, the head of the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, told the council that Iranian authorities have committed widespread human rights violations, including extrajudicial detentions, torture, and sexual violence against prisoners.
"These acts constitute crimes against humanity and gender-based violence," she said.
The fact-finding mission has previously documented the use of torture, forced confessions, and intimidation tactics against detainees.
Calls for Iran to end repression
Representatives from multiple countries called on Iran to halt executions and end its crackdown on dissent.
Germany urged the Islamic Republic to stop executions and guarantee fundamental freedoms, while Switzerland highlighted multiple human rights violations and called for an end to repression.
Spain, Australia, and North Macedonia demanded an end to the persecution of human rights activists and the execution of political prisoners.
The Netherlands called for an extension of the UN fact-finding mission’s mandate, saying Iran has committed "crimes against humanity."
Belgium said the sharp rise in executions was deeply concerning, while Albania condemned the Islamic Republic’s attempts to assassinate dissidents.
Chile described a recent visit by a UN human rights delegation to Iran as a positive step but stressed that "without gender equality, there is no democracy."
Iran's allies push back against criticism of Tehran's human rights record
In contrast, Iran's ally, Venezuela, dismissed the UN fact-finding mission as a politically motivated effort to pressure Iran.
North Korea, also an ally of Iran, accused the international community of systematically targeting Iran and called on the Human Rights Council to end its "double standards."
Allies China, Venezuela, Cuba, and Ethiopia also defended Iran’s human rights record, with Ethiopia criticizing what it called the "politicization" of the issue.
Sudan also said that Iran’s human rights situation was improving and called for respect for each country’s right to determine its own approach to human rights.
“In an unprecedented move, we successfully disrupted the communication network of two Iranian companies that, among various terrorist activities, are responsible for supplying munitions to Houthis,” the group wrote on Telegram.
The attack, which the group says was timed to coincide with US military operations against the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis, severed the ships' connections to each other, their ports, and external communication channels.
“As part of this operation, we targeted the communication network of 116 ships belonging to two major Iranian companies sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury, the United Kingdom, and the European Union: 50 ships belonging to the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) and 66 ships belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL)."
According to the group, these companies facilitate the sale of Iranian oil at reduced prices, with China as a key buyer, while also allegedly supplying munitions to the Houthis in Yemen.
By disrupting ship communications, Lab Dookhtegan says it has significantly hindered operations, adding that full restoration of the affected systems could take weeks. "Ship personnel can no longer communicate with one another, and their connection to the ports and outside world has been severed," the statement read.
There is limited publicly available information on the specific communication systems used by Iranian shipping fleets. However, open-source data and industry analysis suggest that Iranian commercial and military vessels employ a combination of satellite, radio, and encrypted digital networks.
Some reports indicate that NITC's fleet relies on VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) satellite technology for offshore coordination. The attack's success suggests that vulnerabilities may exist in these systems, despite previous efforts to safeguard them.
Lab Dookhtegan, known for previous cyber activities against Iran’s military and intelligence operations, framed the attack as part of a broader strategy to weaken Iranian-backed forces in the region.
Iranian authorities have yet to comment on the attack. In past incidents, state media and officials have either denied cyber intrusions or attributed them to foreign intelligence services. If confirmed, this latest operation would mark one of the most significant cyber disruptions targeting Iran’s maritime sector.
With global attention focused on Iran's regional activities and US military strikes against the Houthis, the implications of the attack extend beyond immediate logistical disruptions. If sustained, communication failures could affect oil exports, insurance risks, and maritime security assessments for Iranian-flagged vessels navigating international waters.
The full extent of the damage remains unclear, but Lab Dookhtegan has indicated that this is only the "tip of the iceberg," suggesting that further operations may follow.