An Iranian protester, Alireza Sepahi, 25, was executed just hours after marrying his 22-year-old fiancée, Mahshad Keshani, in a prison ceremony conducted over the phone, according to reports by The Sunday Times.
The couple, who had been arrested during anti-government protests in Iran earlier in 2026, never had the chance to meet as husband and wife outside prison. With Sepahi facing imminent execution, Keshani insisted on marrying him before it was too late.
The informal ceremony took place on Monday, October 5, with both families participating by telephone from inside Isfahan prison. Tehran-based human rights lawyer Amirsalar Davoudi helped conduct the wedding, reading the couple’s vows for their fathers to hear and bless.
Keshani’s family could offer little by way of traditional wedding gifts. Their contribution reportedly included a copy of the Quran, a piece of saffron rock candy and a single red rose.
“It was Mahshad’s idea,” Davoudi told The Sunday Times, expressing his astonishment at her determination to marry Sepahi despite the circumstances.
“Even now, I wonder how one young woman can possess such courage,” he said.
Davoudi also criticised the Iranian authorities over the executions of young protesters, arguing that the government was taking revenge on people following the international humiliation it had suffered.
Hours after the ceremony, Sepahi was hanged at Shahid Alikhani Square in Isfahan, a site associated with major protests against the Islamic Republic in January. The square has also been used for public executions, which human rights advocates say can serve as a warning to those who challenge the authorities.
Sepahi’s execution followed an earlier failed attempt in July, when he reportedly suffered a heart attack on his way to the gallows and fell into a coma. He later regained consciousness and remained in custody.
His family was allowed one final visit on Sunday, October 4, a development that raised fears his execution was imminent. According to The Sunday Times, the visit prompted Keshani to seek Davoudi’s help in arranging the wedding.
When the lawyer explained the situation to her, he questioned whether she understood the finality of the decision. Keshani’s response was direct.
“Mr Davoudi, I love Alireza,” she told him, according to the lawyer’s account.
Sepahi reportedly struggled to believe the news when Davoudi told him that Keshani wanted to marry him. He eventually broke down in tears inside the prison.
“Alireza was crying, and something deeply painful and beautiful happened. Even the prison officers began to cry,” Davoudi recalled.
Sepahi was among 12 men accused in a case involving the deaths of four security guards during protests at Alikhani Square. Human rights groups have alleged that defendants in the case were tortured and forced to make false confessions, raising concerns about the fairness of the proceedings.
Sepahi’s cousin, Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani, was also among those executed at the square, according to the report. Sepahi’s hanging, alongside that of fellow prisoner Alireza Raisi, left five of the original 12 defendants still alive, the article stated.
Following the execution, Sepahi’s family faced another setback. Iran International reported that the authorities prevented them from burying him in his hometown.
The wedding and execution, occurring within hours of each other, left Keshani and Sepahi’s families facing the loss of a marriage that had barely begun. The couple’s only wedding ceremony took place through a telephone connection while Sepahi remained in state custody.
