Pope Francis has condemned the Iranian government for its use of the death penalty against protesters.

According to Reuters, during his annual speech to Vatican diplomats, Pope Francis stated, "The right to life is at risk in places where the death penalty is applied, as is currently the case in Iran following recent protests for greater respect for women's dignity."

The Pope called for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, describing it as incompatible with human dignity. He also remarked that "the death penalty is neither deterrent nor does it bring justice to victims; it only increases the thirst for revenge."

Earlier, in the run-up to the New Year, Pope Francis had also called for an end to "bloodshed in Iran."

His remarks came as the Iranian government has executed four protesters from the recent nationwide protests and has issued death sentences for dozens more. The execution of Iranian protesters, who were denied access to legal representation and subjected to pressure and torture, has elicited widespread reactions from both Iranians and the international community.

Many Western politicians, human rights defenders, and the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, Javaid Rehman, have strongly condemned these executions. 

Mohsen Shekari, the first prisoner publicly sentenced to death for participating in the 2021 protest movement, was condemned to death. The human rights organization Article 18 strongly condemned this "government-sanctioned killing" and called on the international community to do more than just issue statements and express sympathy. The organization urged global efforts to end executions, repression, and the killing of dissenters, and to secure the release of political and ideological prisoners, particularly those detained in the national uprising. The international community must hold the leaders, officials, and perpetrators of the Iranian government accountable and make them understand that they must face heavy consequences for crimes against the people of Iran.