ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has approved a proposal to pardon 2,000 inmates, Iranian media reported Friday, with the judiciary saying that those convicted on national security-related charges are not included in the amnesty.

The broad amnesty was granted by Khamenei upon the request of Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, coinciding with Eid al-Ghadir - one of the main Shiite religious holidays.

“Persons who do not have a private complainant and an effective criminal record, have served part of their sentence, and have shown signs of reform and punishment are given priority consideration for amnesty,” Tasnim News Agency cited Deputy Chief Justice Ali Mozafari as saying.

“Those convicted of security crimes, espionage, acts against the internal and external security of the country, and individuals who have threatened the public security of society will not be eligible for amnesty under any circumstances,” he added. 

Iran has witnessed a record-high rate of executions, following its war with the US and Israel and the nationwide protests in January.

Tens of thousands of protesters were killed, injured, or arrested during the weeks-long demonstrations at the start of the year that preceded the war.

According to Amnesty International’s 2025 annual report on the use of the death penalty worldwide, global executions have surged to their highest level in over four decades, driven largely by Iran.

The report said Iranian authorities carried out at least 2,159 executions, more than double the previous year and the highest figure recorded in the country in decades. Iran alone accounted for around 80 percent of all recorded executions worldwide. 

Iranian authorities often issue large-scale pardons around times of religious holidays.