Mojtaba Khamenei regime executes champion wrestler as Iran intensifies brutal crackdown during war

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s judiciary connected Thursday ignored a U.S. State Department informing on pinch pleas from elite Iranian-American wrestlers to not execute 19-year-old champion wrestler Saleh Mohammadi for protesting against nan Khamenei regime.

Reports opportunity Mohammadi was killed successful a nationalist hanging seen arsenic a barbaric move by nan Iranian regime to snuff retired nan ongoing activity seeking to topple it, according to Iranian-American quality authorities activists and dissidents.

Nima Far, a quality authorities activistic and Iranian combat jock who an master connected elite Iranian wrestling, told Fox News Digital, "His execution was a blatant governmental murder, portion of nan Islamic Republic’s shape of targeting athletes to crush dissent and terrorize society, arsenic seen pinch Navid Afkari and others executed contempt world outcry."

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Wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi faces imminent execution successful Iran for protestation information arsenic world unit mounts to prevention nan athlete. (The Foreign Desk)

He said, "The IOC [International Olympic Committee] and UWW [United World Wrestling] should person intervened forcefully pinch nationalist ultimatums, threatening contiguous suspension of Iran’s NOC [National Olympic Committee] and federations if nan sidesplitting proceeded alternatively than relying connected ineffective quiet diplomacy, fixed their ain commitments to protect athletes from politically motivated harm."  Both organizations did put retired statements aft being asked for consequence from Fox News Digital upon Mohammadi's decease sentence.

Far called connected nan wrestling authorities to return action, stating, "Iran must beryllium banned from world competitions until it halts executions of protesters and athletes, releases those jailed successful sham trials, and ends retaliation against competitors who speak retired aliases defect."

Fox News Digital sent caller property queries to nan IOC and UWW.  

Iranians stitchery while blocking a thoroughfare during a protestation successful Tehran, Iran connected Jan. 9, 2026.   (MAHSA / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

Reactions to his decease came flooding successful from Iranian commentators.

Alizreza Nader, an master connected Iran and nan quality authorities business successful nan country, told Fox News Digital, "I consciousness very bad for him and his family. There should beryllium a boycott of nan authorities erstwhile it comes to world sport. I do interest astir individual athletes who will beryllium impacted by this, arsenic athletes successful Iran are enduring very harsh conditions, including immoderate reported arsenic being virtual hostages by nan regime. But location must beryllium a dense value for nan authorities for executing young group for illustration this. There must beryllium a deterrent."

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The Iranian-American activist, Masih Alinejad, wrote connected X: "Today, successful Iran, successful nan mediate of a war, nan authorities executed a 19-year-old nationalist wrestling champion for nan crime of joining January protests. After signaling to nan world, including President @realDonaldTrump, that they would halt executions of protesters, nan authorities has done nan nonstop opposite."

She added, "Three young protesters, Saleh Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi, and Saeed Davoudi, were hanged successful Qom aft a sham trial. Reports bespeak torture. Forced confessions. No entree to chosen lawyers. Closed-door proceedings. No correct to appeal. I telephone connected @GlobalAthleteHQ to guidelines pinch Iranian athletes who are being silenced, imprisoned, and executed simply for raising their voices. This is not conscionable astir sports. This is astir quality dignity."

Fox News Digital reported successful precocious January that nan charismatic X relationship for nan State Department successful Farsi wrote,"The United States is profoundly concerned by reports that 19-year-old wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi is facing imminent execution. The authorities of nan Islamic Republic of Iran is massacring young group and destroying Iran’s future. We telephone connected the Iranian regime to halt nan execution of Saleh Mohammadi and each those sentenced to decease for exercising their basal rights. #SalehMohammadi #StopExecutionsInIran #HumanRights #IranProtest."

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Elite Iranian-American wrestlers told Fox News Digital successful February that Iran’s authorities must cease nan executions of athletes.  Sardar Pashaei, who won a Greco-Roman wrestling world title title for Iran and coached nan country’s elite Greco-Roman team, on pinch Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston, nan first American female wrestler to triumph a badge successful world title championship successful 1989, urged nan authorities not instrumentality nan targeted sidesplitting of athletes.

Pashaei told Fox Digital connected Thursday that "My bosom is surgery for this young wrestler. Anyone who still shows sympathy for nan Islamic Republic should understand — this is only a mini glimpse of its brutality."

He added, "Before nan net was unopen down, I said pinch 1 of Iran’s nationalist wrestling squad coaches. He warned maine that Saleh’s lawsuit was critical. We were some profoundly worried. I did everything I could — speaking to nan media, raising consciousness — but I could not prevention him. This authorities is built connected executions, fear, and hatred. It does not change. The International Olympic Committee and world sports bodies failed."

Iran International reported that Iran’s authorities hanged Mohammadi and 2 further Iranian men, Mehdi Ghasemiand Saeed Davoudi,"after being accused of sidesplitting 2 constabulary officers during nationwide protests earlier this year, nan judiciary-linked Mizan news agency reported."

A advertisement depicting Iran's ultimate leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed supra a road successful Tehran connected March 10, 2026. Iran marked nan assignment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to switch his begetter arsenic its ultimate leader connected March 9, 2026.  (AFP/Via Getty Images)

The 3 men allegedly attacked "two constabulary officers pinch knives and swords during protests connected January 8 successful nan beatified metropolis of Qom."

The authorities claimed that nan men acted connected behalf of Israel and nan United States. Iran International noted this is "a predominant declare utilized by nan Islamic Republic against protesters and dissidents."

Mohammadi won a bronze badge successful September 2024, for Iran’s nationalist freestyle wrestling astatine nan Saytiyev International Cup successful Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

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The Hengaw statement for quality authorities posted wrestling footage of Mohammadi. Hengaw wrote connected X: "Footage shows Saleh Mohammadi, a 19-year-old jock and personnel of Iran’s nationalist wrestling team, who was secretly executed successful nan early hours of Thursday, March 19, 2026, successful Qom Central Prison connected charges of ‘enmity against God’ (moharebeh). Mohammadi had antecedently shared this video connected his Instagram page, documenting his diversion travel and efforts toward success."

Fox News Digital reached retired to nan U.S. State Department and Iran’s U.N. Mission successful New York for comments.