Iran is preparing to execute a 19-year-old athlete, while the United States has publicly opposed the sentence.
On 2 Feb 2026 GMT+7, reports stated that the Iranian government ordered the execution of Saleh Mohammadi, a 19-year-old rising Iranian wrestler, who has been placed in solitary confinement as preparations for his execution proceed, following his participation in protests against the government.
According to an official X account of the U.S. State Department in Persian, a post made last Wednesday stated:
“The United States is deeply concerned by reports that 19-year-old rising wrestler Saleh Mohammadi is facing imminent execution. The Islamic Republic of Iran is killing its youth and destroying the future of the country. We call on the Iranian government to halt the execution of Saleh Mohammadi and everyone sentenced to death solely for exercising their fundamental rights.”
Previously, former President Donald Trump attempted to save Navid Afkari, an Iranian Greco-Roman wrestling champion, in 2020 after he protested in 2018, but those efforts ultimately failed.
Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has expressed concern for the lives of Iranian athletes but faces limitations in intervening.