TEHRAN, March 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran executed three people on Thursday convicted of killing police officers and carrying out operations in favour of the United States and Israel during unrest earlier this year, the judiciary said.

These would be the first officially announced executions related to the protests which broke out in Iran late December against the rising cost of living before morphing into nationwide anti-government demonstrations that peaked on January 8 and 9.

"Three individuals convicted in the Dey (January) unrest, on charges of murder and operational actions in favour of the Zionist regime and the United States, were hanged this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

The individuals were involved in the killing of two law enforcement personnel, Mizan said, adding that their execution was carried out after they were found guilty of the capital offence of "moharebeh", or "waging war against God".

Iranian authorities said the protests began in late December as peaceful demonstrations before turning into "foreign-instigated riots" involving killings and vandalism.

Tehran has acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during the unrest, including members of the security forces and innocent bystanders, and attributed the violence to "terrorist acts".

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), however, has recorded more than 7,000 killings, with the vast majority protesters, while warning the toll could be far higher.