Brother of sentenced Iranian kickboxer asks Trump to intervene in execution case

Arash Naghdi, 37, publicly begged Donald Trump to intervene in the case of his brother Benyamin Naghdi, a 26-year-old former national kickboxing champion sentenced to death for allegedly attacking security forces with a makeshift flamethrower during a January anti-regime protest. The Iranian Supreme Court upheld the sentence on July 30, leaving the family uncertain about the timing of the execution. Arash, who lives in Shiraz, says he receives threatening calls and has been barred from visiting his brother, though his parents were allowed a brief goodbye two months ago.

He describes Benyamin as an emaciated figure who has endured torture and solitary confinement, and stresses that the protest participation stemmed from severe economic strain rather than political ambition. The plea comes amid broader reports of at least 56 executions on questionable charges since March, including recent hangings of political prisoners.