DUBAI: Saudi Arabia executed six Iranian nationals for drug trafficking, the interior ministry announced on Wednesday, following a record-breaking year of executions in the kingdom. The individuals were executed in Dammam for smuggling hashish, according to a statement from the official SPA news agency, which did not specify the execution date.
Tehran swiftly condemned the executions, summoning Saudi Arabia’s ambassador in protest. Iran’s foreign ministry labeled the act a violation of “international norms and laws” and described it as “unacceptable.”
Saudi Arabia recorded at least 338 executions in 2024, a stark increase from 170 in 2023, marking the highest annual total in decades. Amnesty International highlighted a significant surge in drug-related executions, with at least 117 convicted traffickers executed last year. The uptick followed the kingdom’s decision to lift a moratorium on death sentences for drug offenses two years ago.
This rise coincides with a crackdown on drug networks, particularly targeting captagon, a synthetic stimulant flooding the Gulf region. Saudi authorities have conducted high-profile raids, intensifying efforts to combat narcotics smuggling.
Foreign nationals comprised 129 of those executed in 2024, including Pakistanis, Yemenis, Egyptians, and Nigerians, highlighting the international scope of the crackdown.
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