In a brutal escalation of state-sanctioned murder, the Iranian regime executed four political prisoners and members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) over a bloody two-day period. However, the ruling establishment’s desperate attempt to terrorize a restless society has completely backfired. Rather than instilling fear, the executions have only deepened the resolve of PMOI Resistance Units across Iran.
On March 31, 2026, Resistance Units openly commemorated the executed martyrs—Mohammad Taghavi, Ali Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour, and Pouya Ghobadi. Activists laid flowers, held placards, and installed posters in public spaces across major cities, including Tehran, Tabriz, Karaj, Isfahan, and Mashhad. Defying the regime’s security apparatus, they left messages honoring the victims who “stood heroically and kissed the executioner’s noose.” In Tehran, messages placed on vehicles read, “We swear on the blood of our comrades Akbar Daneshvarkar and Mohammad Taghavi that we will stand till the end and continue their path until victory.”
March 31—Iran
PMOI Resistance Units across Iran commemorate executed PMOI members Mohammad Taghavi, Ali Akbar (Shahrokh) Daneshvarkar, Babak Alipour, and Pouya Ghobadi. The Resistance Units vowed to continue the path of the PMOI martyrs and the fight for a free and democratic… pic.twitter.com/E3SCzJSssy— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) April 1, 2026
The victims and a sham justice system
In a desperate bid to justify the killings, the terrorist Quds Force-affiliated Tasnim News Agency branded the victims as “terrorists.” In reality, they were highly educated professionals and dedicated freedom fighters. Taghavi, 59, was a veteran political prisoner; Daneshvarkar, 59, was a civil engineer; Alipour, 34, was a law graduate; and Ghobadi, 33, was an electrical engineer.
Following their arrests in early 2024, the victims endured months of severe physical and psychological torture in Evin Prison’s notorious Ward 209. Their trials were a complete mockery of due process. Criminal judge Iman Afshari sentenced them to death in brief, separate hearings lasting only minutes, ignoring defense lawyers and relying on forced confessions.
The regime’s cruelty culminated in a terrifying raid inside Ghezel Hesar prison on the night of March 29. Anti-riot guards violently attacked the political prisoners’ hall in Ward 4, brutally beating inmates, including Alipour and Ghobadi, just hours before they were hanged.
A desperate regime exploiting the fog of war
The timing of these executions exposes a paralyzed and fearful regime acting out of profound vulnerability. Following the massive nationwide uprisings of December 2025 to January 2026, which nearly brought the state to its knees, the mullahs only managed to maintain power through the massacre of thousands of protesters.
Now, exploiting the domestic chaos and the “fog of war” following the death of supreme leader Ali Khamenei in a February 28 airstrike, the regime is quietly moving to eliminate its most capable adversaries. Driven by the paralyzing fear of another popular uprising, the ruling clerics are preparing for a massive purge of political prisoners, mirroring the horrific 1988 massacre.
But as the activities of the brave Resistance Units show, the regime’s futile efforts will only intensify the resolve of Iran’s rebellious youth to overthrow this regime.