The Farda Briefing

Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition I'm looking at concerns about the rising number of executions in Iran and the deteriorating human rights situation.

What You Need To Know

• Executions On The Rise In Iran: Iran continues to rank second worldwide in annual executions, Amnesty International has said in its latest report. Executions have risen steadily since 2020, largely driven by drug-related offenses. Activists argue the Islamic republic also uses the death penalty as a tool to silence dissent and suppress political opposition.

• Nuclear talks in Oman: Iranian and US negotiators will hold talks in Oman on April 12 on Tehran's nuclear program, though it remains unclear whether the talks will be direct or indirect. Both sides have framed the rendezvous as a meeting to test the waters and see whether formal negotiations can be held.

• Argentina Seeks Arrest Warrant For Khamenei: Argentina is pursuing legal action against Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for his alleged role in the 1994 AMIA bombing, which targeted a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people and injuring hundreds. Prosecutor Sebastian Basso has requested an international arrest warrant for Khamenei, alleging he issued a fatwa authorizing the attack carried out by operatives of the US-designated Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.

The Big Issue

Tool To 'Silence' Critics

Executions in Iran reached their highest level since 2015, with at least 972 recorded in 2024, according to Amnesty International. The surge helped drive a global increase in capital punishment, with Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia accounting for 91 percent of known executions last year.

Amnesty Secretary-General Agnes Callamard said Iran and Saudi Arabia used the death penalty "to silence those brave enough" to challenge the authorities. She also pointed to drug-related offenses as a major contributor to the spike in executions.

Why It Matters: Rights groups say Iran's justice system is marked by a lack of transparency and due process.

Many of those executed are convicted in trials that fall short of international legal standards, with allegations of forced confessions, restricted access to lawyers, and vague charges such as "enmity against God."

What's Being Said: Raha Bahreini, a human rights lawyer and spokeswoman for Amnesty International, said the real number of executions in Iran is likely higher.

She told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that because Iran is not transparent, Amnesty International relies on documented reports of executions collected by groups that monitor human rights violations in Iran.

Bahreini noted that while the world is moving toward abolishing the death penalty, a handful of countries are driving the surge in executions -- including Iran, which accounted for 64 percent of executions in 2024.

Expert Opinion: "The authorities in the Islamic republic use the death penalty as a tool to create an atmosphere of terror and fear," Bahreini said.

That's all from me for now.

Until next time,

Kian Sharifi

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here. It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.

Welcome back to The Farda Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that tracks the key issues in Iran and explains why they matter.

I'm RFE/RL correspondent Kian Sharifi. In this edition I'm looking at how Iran's threats to go nuclear and its insistence on indirect talks with the United States are frustrating the West, with France warning military action is becoming "inevitable."

What You Need To Know

• Doubling Down On Nuclear Threats: Ali Larijani, a senior aide to Iran's supreme leader, has warned that military action against the Islamic republic would push Tehran to develop nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, France has raised the alarm over Iran's nuclear program, warning that if there is no deal by October military confrontation would be "almost inevitable."

• Alleged Bank Hacking Fuels Outrage: Iran's Sepah Bank was allegedly hacked by the Codebreakers group last week, exposing the data of 42 million customers, including high-profile accounts. Sepah Bank has denied any breach, insisting its systems are secure and "unhackable." The breach has fueled online outrage over economic inequality and Iran's cybersecurity weaknesses. The alleged compromised data includes information related to members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

• Sociologist Faces Backlash After Criticizing Khamenei: Iranian sociologist Mostafa Mehraeen sparked controversy after publishing two open letters criticizing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the first, he urged Khamenei to acknowledge mistakes, apologize, and step down, leading to legal action and a court summons. In his second letter, he questioned Khamenei's belief in his divine mission. In an interview with RFE/RL's Radio Farda, he praised the "strength" of Iranian society, crediting it for giving him the "courage" to address Khamenei.

The Big Issue

Friends Or Enemies -- Pick One

Larijani, a senior adviser to Khamenei, said on April 1 that the United States could either approach Iran as an economic partner or treat it as the enemy.

"They can talk about economic benefits and have fair cooperation with Iran on economic issues that benefit both," he said in a televised interview.

But Larijani, a former parliament speaker and ex-national security adviser, added that military threats against Iran would only make matters worse.

"If America or Israel attacks Iran under the pretense of nuclear issues, Iran might move toward making an atomic bomb," he said.

Why It Matters: US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran if there is no agreement on Tehran's nuclear program.

The 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump withdrew from in 2018, is set to expire in October. Once the deal expires, world powers will not be able to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran.

Acknowledging that, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on April 2 warned in parliament that in the absence of a new deal, "a military confrontation would appear to be almost inevitable."

Iran has rejected Trump's proposal for direct negotiations, saying it will only agree to indirect talks unless the US president drops his "maximum pressure" campaign. However, Trump claimed on April 3 that he thinks Iran has reconsidered its stance.

Barrot said "our priority" is to reach an agreement that "verifiably and durably constrains" Iran's nuclear program.

But contradictory messages have been coming from the United States, with Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff calling for the "full dismantlement" of the program.

Fabian Hinz, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said recent military drills and the unveiling of missile bases suggest Tehran believes military threats are credible. The United States beefing up its presence in the Middle East has certainly contributed.

He told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that a military strike would only "buy time" rather than destroy Iran's nuclear capability, since "knowledge can't be bombed."

Hinz argued that if Iran's nuclear program is attacked it would likely continue covertly. He added that identifying and targeting supply chains in Iran could "disrupt the program really heavily."

What's Being Said: Larijani's comments, particularly on the potential to develop a bomb, has caused a flurry of reactions inside Iran.

Reformist analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi said the Islamic republic "only makes matter more difficult for itself and easier for America and Israel" when officials keep touting Iran's military strength and the ability to weaponize the nuclear program.

Culture Minister Abbas Salehi rejected the possibility of Iran going nuclear, insisting Khamenei's fatwa against developing a nuclear weapon would not change based on current affairs because it was rooted in "religious principles."

Expert Opinion: "From an Iranian perspective, it would make sense to take all of Trump very seriously, because he killed one of the highest-ranking members of the regime," said Hinz, referring to the 2020 killing of IRGC Quds Force general Qassem Soleimani.

That's all from me for now.

Until next time,

Kian Sharifi

If you enjoyed this briefing and don't want to miss the next edition, subscribe here . It will be sent to your inbox every Friday.