Who was Saleh Mohammadi? Young wrestling champion executed in Iran for anti-national activities

The Islamic Republic of Iran executed a young wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi on Thursday, the 19-year-old was accused of killing two police officers during nationwide anti-regime protests in January. His execution has raised concerns about the fate of other athletes arrested during the demonstrations. Mohammadi was reportedly charged with “enmity against God” (moharebeh) and was executed along with two others, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, who were also involved in the protests. According to Iran International, the three men were accused of attacking two police officers with knives and swords during protests on Jan 8 in the city of Qom.

A human rights group, Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, shared a footage of Mohammadi on X and wrote, “Footage shows Saleh Mohammadi, a 19-year-old athlete and member of Iran’s national wrestling team, who was secretly executed in the early hours of Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Qom Central Prison on charges of ‘enmity against God’ (moharebeh). Mohammadi had previously shared this video on his Instagram page, documenting his athletic journey and efforts toward success.”

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Who was Saleh Mohammadi?

Born in 2007, Saleh Mohammadi was part of Iran’s national freestyle wrestling team and won a bronze medal at an international competition in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, in September 2024. The Iranian regime, which faced its largest uprising since its founding, claimed that Mohammadi and the others acted on behalf of Israel and the United States.

The protests in January were caused by rising prices and economic problems and millions of people took to the streets across the country. However, the government responded with a harsh crackdown and thousands of people were reported killed.

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After Mohammadi’s execution, many people reacted on the social media. Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former Shah, praised the young men, calling them brave and saying they gave their lives for freedom. He said their sacrifice would not be forgotten and expressed hope for a free Iran in the future.

“Today, in the latest desperate killing spree, the bloodthirsty regime took the lives of five more sons of Iran. Saleh Mohammadi, Saeed Davoudi, Mehdi Ghasemi, Danial Keramati, and Mohsen Azimnia join the long line of Iranian heroes who paid the ultimate price for freedom.”

“Their names will be spoken alongside all those who refused to kneel before tyranny. The remnants of the Islamic Republic can never extinguish the fire in the hearts of our people. These young men now belong to the free Iran that is now within reach. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten. Their dream will not die. Iran will be free,” he added.