Mojtaba Torshiz

Mojtaba Torshiz (Persian: مجتبی ترشیز) was a former professional footballer and a father of two from Qaem Shahr (Shahi) in Mazandaran Province. During his career he played for Nassaji Mazandaran, Tractor of Tabriz, Fajr Sepasi of Shiraz and Mes Kerman. His name also appears in the list of the dead published by the government in February 2026. A video post from his funeral gave his age as 47.

He was killed by government gunfire on the evening of Thursday, 18 Dey 1404 (8 January 2026), while he was with his wife, Arezoo Madani. Hengaw verified that he was shot dead in the Tehran area, and HRANA lists him among its confirmed victims in Tehran. According to later accounts, the shooting happened in Shahrak-e Andisheh after they were trapped in a dead-end alley; when security forces fired at his wife, he threw himself over her as a shield and died in her arms from pellet wounds that damaged his lungs. Early reports said both of them had been killed, but later reports said his wife and her brother survived. Some posts place the killing in Karaj or in Qaem Shahr. He was buried quietly in the Karaj area.

Former Iran captain Masoud Shojaei named him among the footballers killed in the protests, together with youth player Rebin Moradi, and asked when FIFA would respond. At his 40th-day memorial on 1 Esfand 1404 (20 February 2026) in Qaleh Hasan Khan, his wife spoke to mourners, and football coaches Farhad Kazemi and Hamid Estili attended. Former goalkeeper Rouzbeh Sinaki, who had himself been detained for supporting the protests, held up his photo before a training session in tribute. Hengaw listed him with basketball player Ahmad Khosravani and football coach Mehdi Lavasani among members of Iran's sports community killed that evening.