Published April 29, 2026 — last updated April 29, 2026
The UN rights office has reported a sweeping crackdown in Iran during the war, with ongoing executions, mass arrests and widespread rights abuses. UN rights chief Volker Türk said he was “appalled” by the scale of repression and called for an immediate halt to executions and the release of those arbitrarily detained.
OHCHR reported at least 21 people executed and more than 4,000 detained on national security charges. Of the executions, nine were linked to the January 2026 protests, ten to alleged membership in opposition groups, and two to espionage charges. Many detainees face allegations of torture, coerced confessions, unfair trials and forced disappearances. Reports indicate protesters, opposition members and minorities have been targeted, and there have been deaths in custody. Authorities have also seized assets from hundreds of citizens at home and abroad and imposed a nationwide internet blackout lasting more than 60 days.
Türk stressed that invocation of national security cannot justify gross human rights infringements. He urged Iran to halt further executions, establish a moratorium on capital punishment, ensure due process and fair trial guarantees, and release those held arbitrarily.
The crackdown comes as the fragile ceasefire with the US and Israel holds but talks to resolve the conflict remain stalled. Iran’s currency plunged to a record low of 1.8 million rials to the dollar, a slide expected to fuel inflation by raising costs for imports of food, medicine and raw materials. Observers attribute part of the economic strain to a US blockade disrupting oil exports, a key source of foreign currency, and to continued market uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran to accept US terms for a peace deal, posting on Truth Social that Tehran should “get smart soon” as negotiations faltered. Iran’s Defense Ministry responded that Washington must abandon what it called illegal and irrational demands.
The broader fallout from the crisis has affected global energy politics: the United Arab Emirates announced it would leave OPEC and OPEC+ to regain control over its oil strategy, a move reflecting strain within producer alliances. Meanwhile, US Marines boarded a vessel suspected of violating the blockade but released it after confirming it would not enter Iranian ports.
As talks remain on hold and markets react to risks in the Gulf, human rights advocates and the UN continue to press Tehran to respect non-derogable rights even during conflict, including protections against arbitrary detention and the right to a fair trial.