Iranian Epstein: Child Bride Executed for Killing her Sexually Abusive Husband
Rana Faraj Oghli was 16 when she was forced into marriage with a man nearly 20 years older, enduring years of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. After her husband’s death two years ago, she was arrested, denied a fair trial, and executed earlier this month by the Iranian regime.
If one of Jeffrey Epstein’s underage victims had killed him in self-defense, no court outside Iran would ever consider executing her. In Iran, however, the system protects abusers and punishes victims, and Rana’s death is a stark illustration of the regime’s systematic oppression of women.
She was essentially a victim of an Iranian Jeffrey Epstein and killed for it after she stood up for herself.
Shirin Nariman, former political prisoner in Iran, Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad and Dr. Kazem Kazerounian, as well as NCRI’s Shahin Gobadi and Ali Safavi are available for interviews to discuss this terrifying prospect.
At age 16, under family pressure, Rana was forced into marriage with a man 19 years her senior. Over nearly a decade, she endured repeated physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. According to court documents, she declared she did not even need a lawyer — her only wish was “to be freed from a life that was like death.”
Bride of Iranian Epstein
Instead, Iranian judges delivered a death sentence. No protection for child-brides. No evaluation of coercion or self-defense. No shelter for a victim stuck in a brutal forced marriage. And when she sought release from suffering, the regime applied the noose.
Imagine for a moment a world-famous, wealthy sexual predator abusing teenage victims. Then imagine one of those victims killed him in self-defense. Would any credible court sentence a child — a minor — to death? Would any human-rights observers quietly look away?
That is exactly the world inside Iran today. The case of Rana isn’t an anomaly — it is a blow-by-blow symptom of a regime that punishes abused women, not abusers. In 2025 alone, Iran has skyrocketed its rate of female executions, many of them women with histories of abuse or forced marriage.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) calls on global media, international human-rights bodies, and foreign governments to spotlight Rana’s case — and demand accountability.
NCRI spokesmen are available immediately for interviews, briefings, and commentary. This is not just about one woman: it’s about a system built on misogyny, justice denied, and blood-stained courts.
The world must not remain silent.
Speakers Available:
Shirin Nariman – Former Political Prisoner in Iran
Shahin Gobadi – Member of NCRI Parliament in Exile
Other Speakers Available:
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad – Iranian American Scholar and Cybersecurity Executive
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian – Dean of College of Engineering; expert on Iran’s Nuclear program
Related Article(s)
Rana Faraj Oghli, 24, A Child Marriage Victim, Executed in Iran
Optional Q&A
- What were the circumstances of Rana Faraj Oghli’s forced marriage at age 16?
- How did the Iranian judicial system handle her case following her husband’s death?
- What evidence exists of the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse Rana endured?
- Why was Rana denied a fair trial, and what procedural safeguards were ignored?
- How does her execution reflect the broader treatment of women and abuse victims in Iran?
- Could a high-profile comparison, such as Jeffrey Epstein, help international audiences understand this injustice?
- What patterns exist in the regime’s prosecution and execution of women who are victims of abuse?
- How can NCRI spokesmen provide context and expert commentary for media outlets covering this case?
ABOUT SHIRIN NARIMAN…
Shirin Nariman is a former political prisoner from Iran, human rights advocate, and entrepreneur.
At just 15 years old, during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, she became involved in pro-democracy activities and supported the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Less than two years later, she was arrested for her activism—becoming one of the youngest political prisoners of her time and enduring severe torture in Evin Prison. Her case drew international attention and intervention from the Red Cross.
During her imprisonment, Shirin witnessed the regime’s brutality firsthand, including the executions of children, elderly women, and pregnant prisoners. After her release, she eventually sought refuge in the United States, where she has dedicated her life to advocating for human rights, women’s rights, and a free, democratic, non-nuclear Iran.
Shirin holds a bachelor’s degree in management information systems and has worked with leading wireless and financial corporations.
ABOUT DR. MOHAMMAD H. TASOOJI…
Dr. Mohammad H. Tasooji, a professor at California State University San Marcos, is an accomplished engineer, educator, and industry leader. He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, an M.S. in Engineering Economic Systems from Stanford University, and a Doctorate in Communication Systems from USC. Dr. Tasooji has held senior management roles at leading technology firms, including Qualcomm, Ericsson, Gtran Wireless, and Nokia. He contributes to clean-energy innovation as CEO of Sienza Energy.
ABOUT SHAHIN GOBADI…
Shahin Gobadi, a U.S.-educated nuclear engineer, is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
An astute observer of Iranian affairs for over three decades, Gobadi is an expert on topics including Iranian state-sponsored terrorism, proxy groups in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, Western policy toward Iran, and internal Iranian affairs.
He has been interviewed by major international media outlets, including CNN, Fox News, BBC, Sky TV, GB News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Reuters, and the Associated Press. Gobadi’s writings have appeared in prominent media across the U.S. and Europe.
ABOUT DR. RAMESH SEPEHRRAD…
Dr. Ramesh Sepehrrad is a leading Iranian-American scholar, published author, cybersecurity executive, and human rights advocate, known for her tireless efforts to advance a non-nuclear, secular, and democratic republic in Iran. As Chair of the Advisory Board of the Organization of Iranian American Communities (OIAC), she plays a pivotal role in bipartisan majority of congressional advocacy, including support for various house resolutions, which endorses the Iranian people’s aspirations for freedom and Maryam Rajavi’s ten-point plan.
Born in Shiraz, Iran, Ramesh’s commitment to justice is deeply personal. Her family endured brutal persecution under both the Shah’s monarchy and the current theocratic regime. Several relatives were imprisoned, tortured, or executed for their opposition to tyranny—an experience that has shaped her life’s mission to amplify the voices of Iran’s oppressed.
After seeking refuge in the United States in 1985, Dr. Sepehrrad earned a B.S. in Computer Science from SUNY Buffalo, an M.A. in Political Science, and a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University. She has also taught graduate courses on conflict, gender, and human rights at George Mason, University of Connecticut where she was inducted as the Distinguished Engineer, and University of Baltimore.
Professionally, she has held senior executive roles in cybersecurity and risk management where she has earned numerous industry awards and recognition.
Through academic rigor, policy engagement, and grassroots mobilization, Dr. Sepehrrad is a compelling voice for democratic change in Iran—rejecting both monarchy and theocracy in favor of a republic rooted in gender equality, human rights and the rule of law.
ABOUT DR. KAZEM KAZEROUNIAN…
Dr. Kazem Kazerounian is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Connecticut and served as Dean of the College of Engineering from 2012 to 2024.
He is a member of The Free Iran Scholars Network. A passionate advocate for democracy and human rights, Dr. Kazerounian is also an expert on Iran and the Middle East, particularly regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, and human rights situation in Iran. He has contributed widely through scholarly articles, invited talks, and media interviews on regional affairs and the democratic movement in Iran.
Nationally, he has held leadership roles with ASEE and ASME, shaping engineering policy and education. His honors include the ASME Mechanisms and Robotics Award, AIMBE Fellowship, and induction into the Connecticut Academy of Science & Engineering.
An ASME Fellow, his research spans kinematics, robotics, and biomechanics. He has authored over 160 scholarly works and co-founded AcademicKeys.com and AcademicJournal.com, a professional platform and an online journal for academics.
ABOUT ALI SAFAVI…
Ali Safavi is a member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), Iran’s Parliament-in-Exile.
A sociologist by training, Safavi studied and taught at UCLA, California State University Los Angeles, and the University of Michigan. He was an active participant in the anti-Shah student movement in the 1970s in the United States and has been deeply engaged in Iranian affairs ever since.
Safavi has lectured and written extensively on Iran, Iraq, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern politics. He has appeared in interviews on networks such as CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CBS, BBC, Sky TV, Newsmax, and France 24. His articles and commentary have been published in leading outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Boston Herald, The Washington Times, and The Financial Times.
This material is distributed by Special Guests Publicity LLC on behalf of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) / Media Strategy Consulting LTD. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
CONTACT: For further details or to arrange the interview, please contact Jerry McGlothlin at 919-437-0001 / Bookings@SeasonalLiving.com
Child bride given the noose for killing her abusive husband. Bride in sham marriage was abused, killed her husband, and was executed for it. Like Epstein, the husband of a child bride ended up dead. Unlike Epstein, that bride killed him for what he did to her. Unfortunately, the bride of this Iranian Epstein met the same fate. Maybe the husband of the child bride didn’t have a globalist clientele but in two ways, he was similar to Epstein, even though he had a bride. First, he’s dead. Second, he had a thing for young girls. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t know the extent to which his bride would go to no longer be his bride. She went all the way, doing what we’re told Epstein did to himself. The closest thing Epstein had to a bride was Ghislaine Maxwell but even she didn’t kill him. She liked his twisted behavior and didn’t need to become his bride. She just wanted to be his partner in crime with young girls. None of those girls became either the bride of Epstein or Maxwell so Epstein could not have been killed by a bride. However, the bride of the Iranian Epstein DID kill her husband. Unfortunately, she was executed for it.
