UN says Iran has executed 21, arrested over 4,000 since war started

Iran has executed at least 21 people since the start of the war with the United States and Israel two months ago and has arrested more than 4,000 on national security-related charges, U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk said on Wednesday.



Turk said at least nine people have been executed in connection with protests in January, 10 for alleged membership in opposition groups, and two on espionage charges.



"I am appalled that - on top of the already severe impacts of the conflict - the rights of the Iranian people continue to be stripped from them by the authorities, in harsh and brutal ways," Turk said in a statement.



"I call on the authorities to halt all further executions, establish a moratorium on the use of capital punishment, fully ensure due process and fair trial guarantees, and immediately release those arbitrarily detained," he said.