Lashing is a form of corporal punishment in Iran that is designated for particular offenses, which are enumerated in Irans Islamic penal code. More than 100 "offenses" are punishable by flogging, including theft, assault, vandalism, defamation, fraud, and acts that should not be criminalized at all such as adultery, intimate relationships between unmarried men and women, "breach of public morals," and consensual same-sex sexual relations. Judges have discretion in determining whether to select lashes or alternatives as punishment for an offense, and there are alternatives to lashes depending on the offense. However, statistics on how frequently the penalty of lashing is administered are not readily available.

Recent news reports suggest that Cristiano Ronaldo could face a reported 99 lashes for adultery in Iran, according to Iranian media outlets such as Rouydad24 and Sharq Emroz. However, it is unclear whether this sentence has been officially imposed, and the sentence could be pardoned by a judge if the acts are not punishable or those involved show remorse.