Iran executes man in Kerman over armed attacks during alleged US-Israeli operations
Iran has executed Ali-Sina Mostafavi in the city of Kerman after convicting him of carrying out armed attacks during what the judiciary described as joint American-Israeli military operations on Iranian soil. The execution was reported on Wednesday by the judiciary's official news outlet, which said Mostafavi was 38 and had been held in Shahab prison in Kerman. The case has drawn attention because it combines allegations of violence, political unrest and accusations of cooperation with hostile foreign-linked media.
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According to the judiciary, Mostafavi was accused of opening fire on civilians in Azadi Square in Kerman on 24 March, injuring one woman and a young girl. It also said he fired on conscript soldiers and passing vehicles on 21 April, causing further injuries to civilians. The same account said he was linked to protests in December 2025 and January 2026, which Iranian authorities describe as the "Dey protests" and portray as a coup attempt.
The judiciary said weapons and other items were seized in the case, including a Brno rifle with a telescopic sight, two shotguns, 246 rounds for the Brno rifle and 30 Molotov cocktails. It also accused Mostafavi of sending footage to Persian-language media outlets outside Iran, which Tehran labels hostile. In his final days, he was moved to solitary confinement and his family were summoned for a last visit, according to the report.
The execution comes amid a wider pattern of capital punishment in cases that Iranian authorities frame as threats to national security. Mostafavi was charged under moharebeh, or "enmity against God," a legal category used in Iran for decades against opponents, critics and protesters. The charge carries severe penalties and is often associated with cases the state presents as involving armed action or attempts to destabilise public order.
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The case also has political significance because it was presented by the judiciary as part of a confrontation with what it called the "American-Zionist enemy." Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's last shah, criticised the case on social media and described Mostafavi as a patriotic young man who had been condemned after forced confessions extracted under torture. That response reflects the broader dispute over how Iran handles politically sensitive prosecutions and executions. The judiciary said Mostafavi was from Bam and noted personal details that were not directly related to the charges, including that he played the tar and had climbed Island Peak in the Himalayas and attempted Ama Dablam.
It was not immediately clear from the report whether there would be any further legal challenge or public reaction inside Iran. The case is likely to remain under scrutiny because it sits at the intersection of internal security, protest politics and the use of capital punishment.
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