Iran executed a member of its Jewish minority, Arvin Ghahremani, on Monday following his conviction for murder, an event that has sparked international attention amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel. Ghahremani was hanged in the western city of Kermanshah after reportedly being convicted for involvement in a deadly street fight, as reported by the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) group.
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of IHR, voiced concerns over the fairness of Ghahremani’s trial, suggesting the proceedings were marred by “significant flaws.” He further alleged that Ghahremani’s Jewish identity may have contributed to the sentence, citing systemic discrimination. “Institutionalized anti-Semitism in the Islamic republic undoubtedly played a crucial role in the execution of his sentence,” Amiry-Moghaddam stated.
Iran, a Shia-majority nation, has seen its once-large Jewish community diminish considerably since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. While executions of Jewish Iranians were more common in the revolution’s aftermath, such an event is rare in recent times. Ghahremani’s mother, Sonia Saadati, had pleaded for clemency, while his family appealed to the victim’s relatives to accept qisas, or blood money, a legal provision under Islamic law allowing financial compensation in lieu of execution. However, Iran’s judiciary confirmed that the victim’s family rejected the offer, leading to Ghahremani’s execution.
The execution has occurred amid escalating military hostilities between Iran and Israel, including unprecedented air strikes. This rising tension follows Israel’s intensifying conflicts with Iran-backed groups in Gaza and Lebanon.
