Iran Executes Two Men Arrested During January Protests

Iran has executed Alireza Sepahi and Alireza Raeisi after their death sentences were upheld in a case linked to January 2026 protests in Isfahan. The Iranian judiciary says the men were convicted over armed violence connected to clashes in which four security personnel were killed. This episode explains what is known about the Alikhani Square case, why rights organisations have raised allegations of torture and forced confessions, and how the executions fit into a growing number of protest-linked death sentences carried out during 2026. It also examines why the crackdown matters beyond Iran’s prisons, as domestic repression unfolds alongside sanctions, military pressure and an increasingly hostile confrontation with Western governments. Follow Taylor Tailored for clear, evidence-led coverage of the stories shaping geopolitics and world affairs.