© M10News | International Desk|2025
TEHRAN — At least 71 people were killed when Israel launched an airstrike on Iran’s notorious Evin prison during the closing days of the recent 12-day conflict between the two countries, Iranian officials confirmed.
The attack occurred on June 23 and targeted the high-security facility in northern Tehran, which is widely known for housing political prisoners, activists, and foreign detainees.
Speaking to Iranian state media, judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir stated that the strike resulted in the deaths of “administrative staff, military conscripts performing national service, detainees, visiting family members, and residents living near the prison.”
“This was not only an attack on a prison, but a direct assault on Iranian sovereignty and symbols of the state,” Jahangir told the judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency.
Iranian authorities have begun transferring surviving prisoners to other facilities as damage assessments continue. Parts of the prison’s administrative section were reportedly destroyed in the strike.
Evin prison has been at the centre of international human rights concerns for decades, with repeated allegations of torture, arbitrary detention, and the targeting of political dissidents.
The facility is also known for holding dual nationals and foreign citizens facing national security charges.
France has condemned the strike after confirming that two of its citizens, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris — both detained in Iran since 2022 — were inside Evin at the time of the attack.
“The Israeli strike endangered the lives of our citizens, which is unacceptable,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a statement, calling for their immediate release and renewed consular access.
The Israeli military has not commented on the Evin prison strike, but officials in Jerusalem have defended their broader campaign of attacks inside Iran, which they say focused on military and nuclear infrastructure.
Analysts believe the strike on Evin signals an expansion of Israeli tactics, targeting not only military sites but also institutions symbolically linked to Iran’s power structure.
The 12-day war, which began on June 13, marked an unprecedented escalation between the two longtime rivals. Israel launched dozens of strikes on Iranian territory, including nuclear sites and military installations. Iran responded with missile attacks on Israel, though casualty figures from both sides remain contested.
A ceasefire was declared on June 24, though diplomatic tensions remain high and both countries have warned of the potential for renewed hostilities.
The attack on Evin has sparked outrage among Iranian officials, with Tehran accusing Israel of war crimes and threatening retaliation.
The incident also adds pressure on Iran’s leadership, already facing scrutiny over its treatment of political prisoners and foreign detainees.
Evin prison has a notorious reputation among international human rights groups, with past detainees reporting harsh interrogations, inhumane conditions, and prolonged solitary confinement.
It remains unclear how many foreign nationals were present at the facility during the attack or whether their safety has been secured.
M10News will continue to provide updates as the situation develops.
