New Massacre in Iran: Former U.S. War Crimes Envoy Urges Global Action

WASHINGTON: Former U.S. Ambassador for War Crimes and prosecutor at the international tribunals for Rwanda and Sierra Leone, Stephen J. Rapp, has raised serious concerns over a dramatic rise in executions of political dissidents in Iran, warning of a potential new massacre reminiscent of the 1988 mass killings.

In a recent column published in The Washington Post, Rapp argued that the Iranian regime is increasingly using executions as a tool to suppress dissent and consolidate its grip on power, particularly in the wake of internal unrest and heightened tensions with Israel.

According to Rapp, Iran could witness more executions in 2025 than in any other year in recent history. He revealed that at least 12 individuals involved in the 2022 nationwide protests have already been executed, while hundreds more face death sentences under vague charges such as moharebeh (enmity against God).

Rapp warned that the Iranian government and state-affiliated media appear to be normalizing and justifying mass executions, citing a recent headline by the Fars News Agency that described the 1988 massacre—which saw thousands of political prisoners executed—as a “successful experience.”

He called on the international community to break its silence on Iran’s escalating human rights violations. Specifically, Rapp urged the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, to launch a new fact-finding mission on Iran. He also advocated for targeted sanctions on Iranian officials involved in rights abuses and recommended scaling back diplomatic relations with Tehran to increase international pressure.

“Justice may take time,” Rapp concluded, “but today’s impunity must not prevent tomorrow’s pursuit of accountability.” He emphasised that the world must not stand by while another human tragedy unfolds in plain sight.

The warning comes amid growing alarm among human rights groups over the Iranian regime’s intensified crackdown on dissent and its long-standing use of the death penalty as a means of political repression.