Iranian Therapist Gets Seven Months for Plea to Trump, Kin Allege Coercion to Mock U.S.

An Iranian psychologist who made a public appeal

An Iranian psychologist who made a public appeal to President Donald Trump to back anti-government protesters has been handed a seven-month prison sentence, according to family members who also claim authorities pressed him to record a video insulting Trump and Americans.

Seyed Ahmad Seyedabdollahi, 32, a counselor from Borujen who lived in Tehran, posted an English-language video on January 4 in which he directly addressed Trump. The footage, reviewed by Fox News Digital, urged the president to swiftly fulfill his promise of support for Iranian protesters, cautioning that young Iranians had placed their trust in his words and that history would remember those who aided the Iranian people.

Ten days later, on January 14, security forces detained Seyedabdollahi at his father's home in Borujen, according to reports from Iran International, Iran Wire, Harana, and the Hana Human Rights Organization. Hana said plainclothes agents seized his phones and electronic devices, and he was later held in solitary confinement and at a Revolutionary Guard intelligence facility in Isfahan.

A relative told Fox News Digital that the

A relative told Fox News Digital that the video triggered relentless pressure from Iranian security authorities. "He was arrested twice and interrogated repeatedly," the relative said, adding that he spent long stretches in solitary confinement before being convicted and sentenced to seven months, with his prison term beginning in July 2026.

The Revolutionary Court in Borujen found him guilty of "engaging in media activities against national security," and also imposed a five-year ban from government and public service, as reported by Iran International on August 6. He was re-arrested on July 7 to begin his sentence and remains held at Borujen Prison.

Hana reported that Seyedabdollahi was denied family contact for 17 days after his initial arrest, and Iran International noted he was barred from choosing his own lawyer and sometimes prevented from speaking with relatives. Authorities have also opened a second case against him on charges of "propaganda against the establishment," which remains in preliminary investigation, according to Hana.

Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital appear

Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital appear to reference alleged foreign contacts and financial dealings with the U.S. and Israel. The relative said interrogators accused him of being a CIA and Mossad operative who received payment for the video. "They told him you are a member of the CIA and Mossad and you took money from them for this job," the relative recounted.

The relative also alleged that authorities tried to force Seyedabdollahi to film another video renouncing his original message and attacking Trump and Americans. "He did not give in to numerous pressures to publish a clip that contradicted the first video," the relative said. "They asked him to sexually insult Trump and make the American people look stupid and ignorant so they could broadcast the clip on national media."

The relative said Seyedabdollahi faced mistreatment during interrogations and continues to be pressured in prison, with occasional stints in solitary confinement under various pretexts. Monitored phone calls make it hard for him to speak openly, the relative added. The five-year employment ban compounds the punishment, threatening his livelihood after release. "You understand Iran's economic conditions... imagine someone deprived of job and income, and then imprisoned," the relative said.

Seyedabdollahi, known as a psychologist and popular spea…

Seyedabdollahi, known as a psychologist and popular speaker among young Iranians, remained focused on those who suffered more, once telling his relative, "Don't feel weak. Our problems are insignificant compared to the thousands of people who have lost their lives."

His case was part of a broader crackdown. Iran International reported more than 50,000 arrests in six weeks, and the U.N. human rights chief cited at least 56 executions on security-related charges since March 19, including 27 linked to the January protests. The Iranian mission to the U.N. declined to comment.