President Trump asks Iran to spare the life of wrestler Navid Afkari

"To the leaders of Iran, I would greatly appreciate if you would spare this young man’s life, and not execute him," the president tweeted.

By Alex Nitzberg

Published: September 3, 2020 6:28pm

Updated: September 3, 2020 7:58pm

President Trump on Thursday publicly asked the Iranian regime to spare the life of champion wrestler Navid Afkari who has been sentenced to death in connection with protesting in 2018.

The president's two-tweet thread included the link to a Fox News article about Afkari.

"Hearing that Iran is looking to execute a great and popular wrestling star, 27-year-old Navid Afkarai, whose sole act was an anti-government demonstration on the streets. They were protesting the 'country’s worsening economic situation and inflation,'" the president tweeted. "To the leaders of Iran, I would greatly appreciate if you would spare this young man’s life, and not execute him. Thank you!"

The website Iran International on Saturday wrote that according to reports the country's supreme court had confirmed the man's death sentence. The site mentioned two death sentences, 6.5 years in prison and 74 lashes. Fox News noted that while one of the two death sentences came from a criminal court another came from a "'revolutionary court.'"