Sculptor Mehdi Salahshour shot dead during Iranian Protests
Friday, January 16, 2026
Mehdi Salahshour, a sculptor and resident of Mashhad, was killed by direct gunfire from Iranian government forces during ongoing public protests in the city.
According to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Salahshour, a married father of two, was shot dead on the evening of Thursday, January 8, 2026.
Sources told Hengaw that Salahshour was killed by direct fire from a military-grade weapon, identified as a Kalashnikov rifle.
Mehdi Salahshour was a prominent sculptor, a sculpture instructor, the founder of a specialized stone sculpture workshop, and a recipient of international artistic awards.