The bloodthirsty Iranian regime has reached a new level of medieval barbarism. Champion wrestler Saleh Mohammadi, just 19 years old, was publicly hanged along with two other young men in the city of Qom on Thursday for allegedly participating in anti-government protests. According to the Daily Mail, Mohammadi was sentenced to death in February, less than three weeks after his arrest, over the murder of a security agent during anti-regime protests on January 8. He denied the charges and claimed his confessions were extracted under torture, but Iranian courts dismissed his claims without investigation.
This execution represents everything wrong with Iran's terrorist regime. The Gateway Pundit also reported that Mohammadi was an accomplished international wrestler who had earned medals on the world stage, including at competitions in Russia. Instead of celebrating this young man's athletic achievements, Iran's mullahs decided to make an example of him through public execution. The regime charged all three men with "moharebeh" or "waging war against God," a convenient catch-all charge that allows Tehran to eliminate anyone who dares challenge their authority.
The scale of Iran's brutality against its own people is staggering. As reported by the Daily Mail, Iranian authorities launched a vicious crackdown on protesters, with some estimates suggesting that 30,000 people could have been killed during the unrest. The Gateway Pundit corroborated these horrifying numbers, noting that TIME Magazine reported intelligence estimates of 30,000 to 36,500 people killed in just two days of protests on January 8-9, 2026. So many people were slaughtered that Iran ran out of body bags and had to use semi-trailers instead of ambulances.
Iran's targeting of athletes sends a chilling message about the regime's desperation. The Daily Mail noted that more than 220 children died during the brutal crackdown, while The Gateway Pundit highlighted that numerous other athletes remain detained, including footballers, water polo players, marathon runners, and boxers. This systematic persecution of Iran's most promising young citizens shows a regime that fears its own people and will stop at nothing to maintain power through terror.
America must respond to this barbarism with strength, not appeasement. Iran's execution of a teenage wrestling champion should remind every American why we cannot negotiate with terrorists who chant "Death to America" and fund terror groups across the Middle East. The brave Iranian people deserve freedom from this murderous regime, and America should lead the world in supporting their fight for liberty. Only through decisive action against Tehran's mullahs can we prevent more young champions from meeting the same horrific fate as Saleh Mohammadi.
The story was also covered by dailymail.co.uk.