Security alert in Isfahan amid news of imminent executions in Iran

Iranian media and opposition sources circulated on Tuesday images and videos said to show security preparations in Ali Khani Square in the city of Isfahan, with the erection of iron structures and deployment of security forces, amid speculation about the possible execution of death sentences against a number of defendants in the case known as 'Ali Khani Square'.

According to circulating reports, the authorities summoned the families of some of the condemned to what it described as a 'last meeting', raising fears of the imminent execution of sentences against a number of detainees, including Amirhossein Safari, Abolfazl Sepahi, and Alireza Sepahi.

The case had been linked to the protests witnessed in the city of Isfahan on January 8, 2026, where Iranian authorities previously announced the arrest of a number of individuals following clashes that occurred in Ali Khani Square between protesters and security forces.

For its part, the Iranian judiciary announced that the reasons for issuing death sentences against the defendants in the case were due to charges related to killing security personnel during the events.

It indicated that the defendants, according to the official account, tied up a number of security personnel with ropes, assaulted them, and set them on fire, before sending video recordings to opposition media outlets.

In contrast, international human rights organizations criticized the trial proceedings in this case, and UN experts said they were concerned about the death sentences issued against 12 young men in connection with the 'Ali Khani Square' events.

The experts called for a halt to the execution of the sentences, pointing to reports of arbitrary arrests, the use of forced confessions, and the absence of fair trial guarantees.

The death sentence was carried out against two of the defendants in the case, namely Gholam Mohammad Mohammadi and Erfan Esfandiyari, earlier, while information about the execution of sentences against the remaining convicts remains officially unconfirmed so far.