Mehdi Zatparvar, athlete from Rasht, killed by direct gunfire from Iranian forces

Hengaw – Saturday, January 10, 2026

Mehdi (Masoud) Zatparvar, a Gilak man from the city of Rasht in Gilan Province and a former bodybuilding champion, was killed by direct gunfire from Iranian government forces during protests in the city.

According to information received by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Zatparvar, 39, was shot and killed on Friday, January 9, 2026, amid protests in Rasht.

He was a bodybuilding coach and held a master’s degree in sports physiology. Zatparvar began weightlifting at the age of 13 and earned national and international titles in powerlifting and weightlifting between 2011 and 2014.

He was the son of Majid Zatparvar, a well-known bodybuilding coach and former champion, and began training in his father’s gym from an early age.

Mehdi Zatparvar was widely regarded as an experienced and respected coach in Gilan. Several Iranian bodybuilders and fitness coaches have separately confirmed and condemned his killing during the protests in Rasht.