Tehran: Iran on Thursday hanged 10 drug traffickers in the northwestern city of Orumieh and Karaj near the capital, state media reported.
The seven men hanged in a prison in the city of Karaj were identified only by their initials and had been convicted of trafficking various amounts of heroin, opium and cannabis, state television reported.
Three unidentified smugglers were also executed in prison in Orumieh, the state news agency IRNA said, without giving further details.
The latest hangings bring the total number of executions so far this year to 65 -- on average more than two a day -- according to an AFP count based on media reports. Most of those executed have been drug traffickers.
In 2010, Iran hanged at least 179 people, according to media reports.
Along with China, Saudi Arabia and the United States, Iran has one of the highest numbers of executions each year.
Murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and adultery are among the crimes punishable by death in Iran.
Bureau Report
