Iran has the highest rate of death penalty convictions in the world.

Omissions

• The claim refers to 'death penalty convictions' (condanne a morte / death sentences), but the available global comparative data primarily tracks executions, not judicial death sentences — these are distinct metrics.
• China's death penalty statistics are classified as state secrets; Amnesty International reports China's executions as '1000s' without a precise figure, making any definitive ranking impossible.
• The claim does not specify whether 'rate' refers to absolute numbers or per capita rate. Per capita, Iran almost certainly leads; in absolute numbers, the comparison with China is unknowable.
• The speaker cited no source for this claim. The most recent authoritative data at the time of the session (Amnesty International's report covering 2025) was published in May 2026, very close to the session date.

Sources

• PrimaryAmnesty InternationalThe countries with the highest number of executions were China (1000s), Iran (2,159+), Saudi Arabia (356+), Yemen (51+), USA (47). Recorded death sentences in the region increased by 74%, from at least 443 in 2024 to 771 in 2025.
• SecondaryECPM / Iran Human RightsAt least 1,639 executions in Iran in 2025, a deadly record.
• SecondaryIran InternationalAmnesty says Iran drove global surge in executions in 2025, with a 'staggering' increase in Iran's use of the death penalty.