Iran hanged nine Islamic State (ISIS) members on Tuesday for their involvement in a 2018 armed clash with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that killed three Iranian troops. The executions, reported by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, come as Iran maintains a hardline stance against terrorist threats following recent high-profile ISIS attacks on its soil.
The executed militants were convicted of “armed action against the state” and belonging to a terrorist organization. While details about their identities remain undisclosed, the 2018 confrontation occurred during a period of intensified counterterrorism operations by Iranian forces. ISIS, though weakened in Iraq and Syria, has retained a foothold in the region through affiliates like Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Afghanistan.
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Iran has suffered multiple ISIS-claimed atrocities, including the 2017 attacks on parliament and Ayatollah Khomeini’s mausoleum (18 killed) and the January 2024 Kerman bombings during a Qassem Soleimani memorial (94 dead). The group’s resurgence has kept security agencies on high alert, particularly along porous borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Analysts view the executions as both a punitive measure and a deterrent. “This sends a clear message that Iran will retaliate decisively against any threat to its internal security,” said Tehran-based political analyst Reza Mohammadi. The move aligns with Iran’s broader strategy to counter Sunni extremist groups while navigating regional tensions.
