Tehran - Hangings were carried out Thursday in Tehran for four convicted murderers, including a woman who killed her husband, the Fars news agency reported.

The four were hanged at the Evin prison in northern Tehran after their death sentences had been confirmed by the Supreme Court.

Six other convicts were supposed to be hanged, but the families of their victims gave them a six-month reprieve, probably for enabling them to collect and pay blood money.

Iran was reported to have hanged another eight men for drug trafficking last Saturday.

According to Iranian law, victims' families may revoke death sentences by either pardoning those convicted or receiving blood money, which, under Islamic laws, is financial compensation to victims' families whose amount is determined by the judiciary.

Murder, rape, sabotage and trafficking in drugs weighing more than 5 kilograms are crimes punishable by death in Iran. (dpa)