U.S. State Department demands Iran halt execution of decorated wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
Saleh Mohammadi, a 19-year-old decorated Iranian wrestler, is facing execution for peacefully protesting against the regime in early January. The U.S. State Department on Wednesday demanded that Tehran overturn the death penalty and spare his life.
Foreign Desk editor-in-chief, Lisa Daftari, who is a leading expert on Iran, told Fox News Digital, “Saleh Mohammadi is a 19‑year‑old athlete whose only ‘crime’ was to stand with his people, yet he now faces an imminent death sentence designed to make an example out of him and terrify an entire nation. His imminent execution would not be justice, it would be a warning shot at every young Iranian who dares dream of freedom — and the world’s response will show protesters whether they are truly alone or not.”
According to the official X account for the State Department in Farsi, a post on Wednesday read: “The United States is deeply concerned by reports that 19-year-old wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi is facing imminent execution. The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran is massacring young people and destroying Iran’s future. We call on the Iranian regime to halt the execution of Saleh Mohammadi and all those sentenced to death for exercising their fundamental rights. #SalehMohammadi #StopExecutionsInIran #HumanRights #IranProtest.”
ایالات متحده از گزارشهایی درباره صالح محمدی، قهرمان ۱۹ ساله کشتی، که با اعدام قریبالوقوع روبهرو است، عمیقاً نگران است. رژیم جمهوری اسلامی ایران، جوانان را قتلعام و آینده ایران را ویران میکند.
ما از رژیم ایران میخواهیم اجرای حکم اعدام صالح محمدی و تمامی افرادی را که برای… pic.twitter.com/lL324xWQWZ
— USAbehFarsi (@USABehFarsi) January 29, 2026
Security forces for the Islamic Republic previously seized Olympic wrestler Alireza Nejati, who has won medals in world championships, after he posted a social media message to his more than 78,000 Instagram followers. The regime imprisoned Nejati and reportedly tortured him. Additionally, President Donald Trump, sought to save the life of champion Iranian Greco-Roman wrestler Navid Afkari in 2020. The clerical regime in Iran executed Afkari for his 2018 role in a demonstration against the economic and political corruption of the theocratic state.
