Iran Hangs a Mountaineer Accused of Aiding Zionists, a Reza Pahlavi Dissident Group

Professional mountaineer Ali Sina Mostafavi, who summited a 6,000 foot peak by himself, met his end Wednesday morning at the hands of an Iranian regime hangman.The 39-year-old was executed in Kerman Central Prison after being convicted of links to the dissident group of exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, attempted murder and inflicting “bodily harm by gunfire,” according to the group Iran Human Rights, which quoted the Iranian judiciary’s official news agency.Mostafavi had also been accused of “communicating with hostile media affiliated with the Zionist regime.”The group Hengaw Organization for Human Rights said Mostafavi was executed at dawn on Wednesday. That group said Mostafavi’s charges included filming locations in Iran that had been struck by bombs and sending that footage outside the country. Mostafavi also allegedly had video on his cell phone of the widespread protests that shook Iran in January.Iran Human Rights said Mostafavi was a professional mountaineer and a member of the Spiko Mountaineering Club in Kerman, Iran’s largest province. He had climbed Himalayan peaks and completed a solo climb of 6,100-foot Island Peak in eastern Nepal.He is the 15th political prisoner executed since March for affiliation with dissident groups operating inside Iran.Mr. Mostafavi was arrested on April 25. He was paraded before regime television cameras and made what Iran Human Rights said was a “forced confession.” His face was blurred but a 40-second video of the purported confession, along with video of his arrest and images of weapons, radios and Molotov cocktails aired on television and was posted to regime social media.Accused co-defendants of Mr. Mostafavi have received prison sentences, but not the death penalty. They face charges including “propaganda against the system.” An Iranian criminal court found that authorities did not have jurisdiction to charge those co-defendants with possession of Molotov cocktails, but that could change depending on future court decisions.The formal charge levied against Mr. Mostafavi included “moharebeh,” also known as “enmity against God” “with the intent to spread terror and panic,” Iran Human Rights said.Iran Human Rights tracks regime executions and says the repressive, theocratic government has executed more than 11,000 people since 2010.In 2026 alone, the regime executed 641 people including Mr. Mostafavi. That number includes 23 women and two children under 18 years old.

Iran Hangs a Mountaineer Accused of Aiding Zionists, a Reza Pahlavi Dissident Group

Iran Hangs a Mountaineer Accused of Aiding Zionists, a Reza Pahlavi Dissident Group

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