The United Nations has expressed grave concern over the significant increase in executions in Iran, with reports indicating at least 901 people were executed in 2024, including a particularly high number in December. UN rights chief Volker Turk called the situation "deeply disturbing" and urged Iran to take action to end the rising tide of executions.

Iran remains one of the leading countries in carrying out the death penalty, following only China, where reliable figures are not available. The executions in Iran are primarily for major crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, and rape. However, dissidents and individuals linked to the 2022 protests have also been executed, drawing significant international condemnation.

In addition to these troubling trends, there has been an alarming rise in the number of women executed, with at least 31 reported executions of women in 2024, according to the Iran Human Rights organization. The UN rights chief reiterated the incompatibility of the death penalty with fundamental human rights, emphasizing the risk of executing innocent individuals.

The UN has called for a moratorium on the death penalty in Iran and urged the country to work towards its abolition, in line with international human rights standards.