Iran Executes Man for Killing Police Officer

Iranian authorities have executed a man convicted of killing a police officer who was run over by a vehicle during clashes with fuel smugglers in 2022, according to the country’s judiciary.

The judiciary’s Mizan Online website quoted local prosecutor Aref Akbari as confirming that the death sentence against the defendant, identified in court as Danial, had been carried out.

The victim, Reza Ehterami, was a third lieutenant serving in Iran’s police emergency unit in the southern city of Bandar Abbas.

According to reports by Iranian state media, Ehterami was killed during clashes between police officers and fuel smugglers when a vehicle driven by Danial ran him over.

Akbari said the execution followed an investigation and trial, with Iran’s Supreme Court upholding the verdict against the defendant.

The execution comes amid increased use of capital punishment in Iran following the outbreak of the Middle East war in February and anti-government protests that began late in 2025.

Iran imposes the death penalty for several offences, including murder, and remains among the countries with the highest numbers of executions globally. Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have documented the country’s extensive use of capital punishment.

Fuel smuggling has remained a persistent challenge in Iran, where heavily subsidised domestic petrol prices create incentives for the illegal movement of fuel across borders into neighbouring countries.

Authorities have repeatedly carried out security operations against fuel smuggling networks, with confrontations sometimes resulting in casualties among law enforcement personnel and suspected smugglers.