Hamid Mahdavi was a 38-year-old firefighter, international rugby referee, and well-known athlete from Mashhad, Iran.

On the evening of January 8, he was fatally shot while helping injured protesters. A video that later circulated shows him carrying a wounded man, Jafar Javidi, on his back as he tries to move him away from the violence and to safety.

Moments later, Hamid was struck by a bullet in the neck and lost his life.

Who would have thought that becoming a firefighter could mean being killed—not by collapsing buildings, raging fires, or the countless dangers that come with saving lives, but by your own government while doing nothing more than trying to keep another human being alive?

The tragedy is almost impossible to comprehend. Firefighters dedicate their lives to protecting others, regardless of who they are. To be deliberately targeted while carrying out that very mission feels surreal. It is a heartbreaking reminder of how devastating violence can become, and how, in moments like these, it can seem as though each act of cruelty surpasses the last.

Mehdi (Masoud) Zatparvar was a former bodybuilding champion, bodybuilding coach, and athlete from Rasht, Gilan Province, Iran. Born in 1986, he was 39 years old at the time of his death.

Zatparvar was killed by direct gunfire from Iranian government forces during anti-government protests in Rasht on January 9, 2026.

Zatparvar held a master's degree in Sports Physiology and was widely respected as a bodybuilding coach in Gilan Province.

He was the son of Majid Zatparvar, a well-known bodybuilding coach and former champion. From an early age, Mehdi trained in his father's gym, where he developed the skills and discipline that shaped his athletic career.

According to reports, shortly before joining the protests, Zatparvar wrote on social media that the people of Iran were simply demanding their rights and expressed his willingness to sacrifice for freedom and the country's future. His message was widely shared after his death and became a symbol of his final stand.