In less than a month (24 days), Iran has witnessed a shocking wave of domestic violence that has left at least 21 women dead across various cities.
These killings—many carried out with extreme brutality, some in public spaces or in front of children—highlight the urgent crisis of gender-based violence and the absence of effective legal and social protections for women in Iran.
Most of the murders have been described by authorities as resulting from “family disputes,” “honor-related motives,” or “requests for divorce.” These vague labels not only obscure the gravity of the crimes but also reinforce systemic impunity and normalize violence against women within deeply patriarchal frameworks.
These horrific cases of femicide highlight the escalating crisis of gender-based violence in Iran, where systemic legal shortcomings enable perpetrators to act with impunity.
Article 612 of the clerical regime’s Penal Code, in particular, frequently shields offenders, especially fathers, brothers, and husbands, from severe punishment, perpetuating a cycle of injustice. The persistent failure to implement robust legal protections not only endangers countless women but also reinforces a culture where honor killings and femicide remain tragically unchecked.
A Glimpse into the Tragedies:
Bandar Abbas – April 10, 2025
Nahid Najafi was beheaded by her husband in front of their child. The killer took his own life after the murder.
Behshahr, Mazandaran – April 11, 2025
Hediyeh Fallah Makrani, a 19-year-old woman, was raped, bound, and hanged. Her body was discovered two days later in a forest.
Khomam, Gilan – April 13, 2025
A 55-year-old woman was bludgeoned to death by her 31-year-old son. Her body was discovered three days later; the son has been arrested.
Meshginshahr, Ardabil – April 14, 2025
A woman was shot and killed by her husband in their home. Emergency efforts to save her life failed.
Shazand, Markazi – April 14, 2025
A 51-year-old woman died in the hospital following a violent beating by her husband, who later attempted suicide and was taken into custody.
Eslamshahr, Tehran – April 17, 2025
Fatemeh Soltani, an 18-year-old girl from Eslamshahr, was brutally murdered by her father in a horrific stabbing. The tragedy unfolded while Fatemeh was at work in a nail salon located on 20-Metri Street in Eslamshahr.
At around 9:00 a.m., her father arrived at the salon and called her outside. As soon as she stepped out, he fatally attacked her with multiple knife blows, ending her life on the spot.
Nehbandan, South Khorasan – April 20, 2025
A pregnant woman named Jamalzahi died following a severe beating by her husband. Her six-month-old fetus did not survive.
Tabriz – April 20, 2025
A woman was shot and killed by her husband at a counseling center following an argument.
Khoy, West Azerbaijan – April 21, 2025
Setareh Mosapour, 18, was shot dead by her brother-in-law. She had previously fled domestic abuse but was forced to return home due to family pressure related to “honor.” The perpetrator was released just one day after his arrest, following the grandfather’s consent.
Baharestan, Tehran – April 25, 2025
A young woman was killed by her ex-husband with a knife at her sewing workshop. Her employer was also injured in the attack.
Dalahoo, Kermanshah – April 27, 2025
Kouhkan Koshtman fatally shot his mother-in-law and injured his father-in-law, citing family disputes as the reason.
Khoda Bandeh, Zanjan – April 28, 2025
Mahnaz Kasirloo, 30, and mother of a young child, was killed by her husband using a hammer and mallet.
Sirjan, Kerman – April 30, 2025
Tahereh Khodami was shot dead by her son with a hunting rifle. He committed suicide after the crime.
Yasuj – April 30, 2025
Mahrou Tondpoor, 24, was shot dead in a pharmacy by a rejected suitor, who was also a relative. The perpetrator then took his own life.
Khorramshahr – April 30, 2025
A 50-year-old man stabbed his 45-year-old wife and 24-year-old son to death. Three neighbors who tried to intervene were injured.
Mehrshahr, Alborz – April 30, 2025
A man stabbed and injured his wife and killed their five-year-old daughter, Zeynab, allegedly out of suspicion of infidelity. He later buried the child’s body.
Kermanshah – May 1, 2025
Mohammad Mohammadi, a resident of the Farhangian neighborhood in Kermanshah, fatally shot his wife, Batoul Mohammadi; his mother-in-law, Fatemeh Mohammadi; and his 30-year-old son, Saman Mohammadi. He also injured his daughter-in-law and 18-year-old son before taking his own life at his car dealership.
Kalateh, Damghan – May 3, 2025
A 45-year-old woman was killed in Kalateh, a district of Damghan, after a 27-year-old man deliberately ran her over with a car during a street altercation. The woman later died in the hospital from severe injuries. The suspect fled the scene but was later arrested.
Kermanshah – May 3, 2025
Samira Nourbakhsh, a 37-year-old woman and mother of one, was shot and killed in Kermanshah by a man whose marriage proposal she had previously rejected. The suspect, reportedly an acquaintance, used a firearm in the attack.
Golbahar, Razavi Khorasan – May 3, 2025
A 50-year-old woman was beaten to death with a mace-like object by her 62-year-old husband in the city of Golbahar. The man initially attempted to stage the crime scene to appear as a home robbery and even injured himself in the process. However, after receiving medical treatment and undergoing interrogation, he confessed to the murder, citing longstanding financial and marital disputes.
Also, on April 30, 2025, a woman working as a vice-principal at a school in Karaj was severely injured in an acid attack carried out by her husband on school grounds. According to the state-run Rokna news agency, the assailant claimed he suspected his wife of infidelity and, amid escalating disputes that had led to plans for separation, decided to throw acid on her face during an argument.
