Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 15 June 2026: Following the announcement of an agreement between officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States to end the war, IHRNGO warns that the human rights of the Iranian people must not be ignored in future negotiations. According to state reports, the war resulted in 3,468 people fatalities, 1,460 of whom were civilians. State media also reported that more than 6,500 individuals have been arrested since the start of the war, many of whom now face the death penalty under the broadly defined provisions of the newly enacted espionage bill.
Furthermore, at least 19 protesters, 13 political prisoners affiliated with banned opposition groups and 10 individuals accused of espionage and collaboration with foreign states, were executed during this period.
Welcoming the cessation of the war, Iran Human Rights stresses that the country's human rights situation requires urgent attention, and calls for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty and the release of political prisoners to be a core component of all future dialogue with the Islamic Republic.
IHRNGO Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam stated: “This war was never about the human rights of the Iranian people. On the contrary, it had a profoundly negative impact on the human rights situation in Iran. Beyond the civilian deaths, suffering and destruction directly caused by the conflict, the authorities used the war as a pretext to intensify domestic repression. Under the shadow of the war, thousands of Iranians were arbitrarily arrested and the country witnessed a surge in the execution of political prisoners, the highest number recorded in the last three decades.”
He added: “While we welcome the end of the war and hope the ceasefire is sustained, at the same time we must recognise that a dictatorship lacking domestic legitimacy can never guarantee lasting peace. Sustainable peace can only be achieved through a democratic Iran that respects the rights and dignity of all its citizens. Democratic change must come through the Iranian people, not through foreign military intervention.”
“With the end of the war, we hope the international community, particularly European governments, will place the human rights of the Iranian people at the center of their engagement with the Islamic Republic. An immediate moratorium on the death penalty and the release of political prisoners must be among the central conditions in any future dialogue or negotiations with the Islamic Republic,” the organisation’s director emphasised.
The war began on 28 February 2026 and was temporarily halted after 40 days by a ceasefire agreement on 8 April 2026, which was later extended on several occasions. Ongoing negotiations between the Islamic Republic and the United States ultimately culminated on 14 June, when officials from both sides announced a final agreement to end the conflict.
On 26 April, the Islamic Republic’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs reported that 3,468 people were killed during the 40-day war, with civilians accounting for 45% of the fatalities. 34,060 people were also reported to have been injured during that period.
Concurrently, a sweeping nationwide campaign of mass arrests has been underway since the outbreak of the war. Detainees face a broad array of accusations, including espionage and collaboration with Israel and the US, taking and transmitting footage of sensitive sites, communicating with foreign-based Farsi-language media, possessing Starlink satellite internet equipment, inciting public anxiety and undermining online security. On 17 May, Ahmadreza Radan, the Commander-in-Chief of the Law Enforcement Force (police), confirmed the detention of more than 6,500 individuals since the start of the conflict, labelling them as "traitors, spies, and enemy-linked elements."
Detainees are tried under the newly enacted "Law on Intensifying Punishments for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile States Against National Security and Interests.” Drafted after the 12-Day War between Israel and Iran and ratified in October 2025, the law has effectively fast-tracked the execution of protesters, political opponents and ordinary citizens targeted for routine online activity.
The implementation of death sentences had been largely halted following the 28 February military strikes. However, at least 19 protesters, 13 political prisoners affiliated with banned opposition groups and 10 individuals accused of espionage and collaboration with foreign states were executed since 18 March.