Iran Targets Dissidents Under Cover of Espionage Threat

Iran uses espionage threats to conceal the execution of political opponents.

Iran is increasingly using the guise of national security and espionage threats to target, detain, and execute political opponents. Human rights advocates warn that military conflict must not overshadow the ongoing domestic crackdown on dissent. The state continues to suppress internal opposition while regional tensions escalate.

• The concernObservers warn that international focus on military escalation allows domestic state executions to escape adequate scrutiny.
• The tacticAuthorities label political activism and dissent as foreign espionage to justify severe legal penalties.