Iran has executed at least 21 people and arrested more than 4,000 since the beginning of the Middle East war, the United Nations has said, AFP reports.

Since the US-Israeli strikes sparked the war in late February, “at least nine people have been executed in connection with the January 2026 protests, ten for alleged membership in opposition groups, and two on espionage charges,” the UN’s rights office said.

“Since 28 February, more than 4,000 individuals are estimated to have been arrested on national security-related charges in Iran,” the agency added in a statement.