A new law in Iran could see the organs of convicts on death row pre-sold to buyers if the prisoners agree before their executions.

Reports suggested that under the new head of the Iranian judiciary, Ebrahim Raeesi, an article in the criminal justice laws has been included which says: "If a convict voluntarily offers his or her organ before or after execution and no medical obstacle is offered, then the judge can approve this in coordination with the ministry of justice and the coroners’ office."

Iran’s Association of Surgeons has strongly condemned the move, describing it as “extremely worrying, damaging to our profession and the prestige of Iran in the eyes of the civilised world”.

Professor Ali Jafarian of the liver transplant unit at Khomeini hospital in Tehran, who is also a member of the American Society of Transplantation, told the semi-official ISNA news agency that no specialist surgeon in Iran would be prepared to follow the law as “it is immoral and against all the values of our profession”.

“Anyone sentenced to death would not be in a right frame of mind to ‘voluntarily’ offer their organs, unless they are forced to do so under immense pressure,” Dr Jafarian said. “Members of our association of surgeon will never abide by this law."