Iran has executed Ali Fahim, a man convicted of trying to storm a military facility and access weapons during the anti-government protests in January. State media reported on Monday that his execution came after the Supreme Court upheld his sentence.

This is not the first execution linked to the case. Earlier last week, Amirhossein Hatami was executed, followed by Mohammadamin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast on Sunday. Amnesty International, a global human rights group, has warned that another man connected to the same incident may face execution in the coming days.

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Who is Ali Fahim?

The 26-year-old from Tehran was sentenced to death by Judge Abolghasem Salavati of Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh). The execution was confirmed after the Supreme Court reviewed and upheld the verdict. The judiciary’s Mizan Online website said: “Ali Fahim, one of the enemy elements in the terrorist riots of Dey (January)… was hanged after the Supreme Court reviewed the case and confirmed the verdict.”

Mizan reported that Fahim was convicted of acting against Iran on behalf of “the Zionist regime and the United States” and of breaking into a classified military site to seize weapons.

Fahim’s case is part of a broader crackdown following protests that began in late December over rising living costs and escalated into nationwide anti-government demonstrations, peaking on January 8 and 9, 2026. Authorities said the protests, which began peacefully, turned into “foreign-instigated riots” with killings and vandalism.

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The January unrest

The protests in January were among the biggest anti-government demonstrations in Iran’s recent history. Authorities said the men involved tried to seize weapons and military equipment, labelling them as “rioters” acting against national security. 

Rights groups have repeatedly criticised the handling of these cases. Amnesty International said that several defendants have faced torture and “grossly unfair trials,” raising serious concerns about justice in these proceedings.

Tehran claims that more than 3,000 people were killed during the unrest, including security forces and bystanders, blaming the deaths on “terrorist acts.” But the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says it has recorded over 7,000 deaths, most of them protesters, and warns the real toll could be even higher.

The execution also comes amid ongoing tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States. The conflict escalated on February 28, when strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.