Holding the Ceremony for the 40th Day of Martyrdom of Tabriz people and the Martyrdom of Masoumeh Zareian

Compiled by: Islamic Revolution Website
Translated by: Fazel Shirzad

2022-9-28

On the 40th day of martyrdom of Qomۥs people, we could not do anything. Anyway, it passed and the 40th day of martyrdom of Tabriz's people arrived. Ayatollah Seyed Hossein Ayatollahi called me and said: "Get up and come." I went to his house without delay. He said: "No matter what happens, the ceremony of the 40th day of martyrdom of Tabriz's people should be held in Jahrom." Then we went together to the house of Ayatollah Haqshanas. We were at the house of Ayatollah Haqshanas, where the ceremony for the 40th day of martyrdom of Tabriz's people was planned. It was decided that the 40th day of martyrdom of Tabriz's people will be held on the 29th of March in Jahrom Mosque, and of course, sufficient information will be provided in this regard.

On the 29th of March, while we were moving towards Jame Mosque to celebrate the 40th day of martyrdom of Tabriz's people according to the plan set by Ayatollah Haqshanas and Ayatollah Seyed Hossein Ayatollahi, we noticed that the regime forces had locked the doors of the mosque. The mosque is also surrounded by regime forces, the doors of the mosque are locked, and the mosque is also surrounded by military and police forces. So I walked alone to the house of Ayatollah Haqshanas to ask what should be done and what is the duty. Because if the door of the mosque was closed, there would have been a lot of noise and many people would have been killed. On my way, I passed by the court. My brother, Behzad Mehraban, was an employee of Jahrom Justice. I told myself to go with Behzad to the prosecutor to talk to him. When I went inside and told Behzad what happened, he asked: "What do you want to say?"

- I want to go and say that in Tabriz they locked the door of the mosque where people were killed. So take a lesson and don't lock the mosque door."

- "Can you go inside and talk like that?! I can't."

- "I will go myself."

I entered the prosecutor's office and stood up to attend to the work of one or two clients. Then I explained the process to the Jahorm prosecutor. He locked the door of the room and sat next to me and said: "We have received a secret directive that you must implement whatever the police chief says."I have no authority of my own." In response, I said: "So goodbye!" I thought you had authority so I came and talked. My purpose in coming here was to complete the proof with you so that, God forbid, if something happens to the people, you don't declare ignorance. Because a similar incident happened in Tabriz when the doors of the mosque were locked, and as a result, some people were killed."

Then I moved to the house of Ayatollah Haqshanas. When I arrived, many people had gathered there for Mr. Ayatollah Seyed Hossein Ayatollahi and Ayatollah Haj Namazi had also gone to Jahrom Police Chief (Colonel Kamal Asadhaadi) to talk to him and ask him to open the doors of the mosque. Sometime later, they came back and said that they had reached an agreement with the police chief so that the people would go to the mosque quietly and read the Quran and then leave there peacefully.

In short, the ceremony was held that day (March 29). Mr. Ayatollah Seyed Hossein Ayatollahi made a speech before noon, and Mr. Haji Esfahani also spoke in the evening. Mr. Haji Esfahani spoke very fast. Then, when we wanted to announce the end of the assembly, they gave me a letter and said that the 40th day of martyrdom of Tabriz's people are tomorrow. Considering that March is 29 days long, so the 40th day of martyrdom of Tabriz's people is the 30th day of March, and all the cities want to hold ceremonies on the 10th day. Therefore, we announced that there was a mistake and that such a meeting will be held tomorrow.

That night, I was sitting at home hoping that we would go to Jame Mosque tomorrow to hold the ceremony when Mr. Ayatollahi called and said: "The police chief called and said that we will not allow you to hold a meeting tomorrow."

"Sir! We announced to the people. People gather behind the door of the mosque! If they don't open the mosque and don't give permission, do you know what will happen?!"

- "Get up, come; bring your car as well."

I strongly urged Ayatollah Haqshanas to call the police chief and say that yesterday you saw how quietly the people sat down, recited Quran, and left. If you don't let the people gather, big sedition will happen. Neither have we liked killing nor you.

The gentleman called the police and insisted that we promise not to cause any problems. The head of Shahrbani said: "On the condition that Mr. Haji Esfahani does not speak again." The man hung up the phone and said: "Satisfying the police chief is one side; Now who can convince Haji Esfahani not to give a speech?!"

Mr. Haji Esfahani is also an adamant person, it was impossible to please him. I said: "If you know, let's get up in a group and go to his house and talk to him and ask his opinion."

Together with Ayatollah Seyed Hossein Ayatollahi, we went to Mr. Haji Esfahani's house. They were sitting in the basement. We went down the stairs and when I said that such a situation has happened and that we want to hold a parliament tomorrow, without introduction and us saying anything, he said: "Of course, I will not speak again tomorrow; Mr. Ayatollahi should speak for himself." We were very happy that he said so himself. Mr. Ayatollahi also said: "Okay, I will speak." We were about to leave when we saw Mrs. Haji Esfahani enter from another room and said to her husband: "Surely you must speak and expose the atrocities of the machine." We also came out immediately, fearing that Mr. Haji Esfahani's opinion might change.

Tomorrow morning we went to Jame Mosque for the ceremony. At first, Mr. Mustafa Saharkhiz recited Quran. People also came and recited Quran and left; some stayed. It was like a normal graduation ceremony. I said to myself, it doesn't work like that. I had a poem that was very interesting and was previously published in the school of Islam, which began with this verse:

It is morning and the end of  a night

It's morning and you deserve to wake up

I said to one of my friends named Seyyed Mahmoud Shahim, who was a Quran reciter and had a hoarse voice: "Can you stand up and read this poem?" Then we will let you run away so that the officers will not find out who read this poem." He accepted.

Seyyed Mahmoud recited the poem very well and the assembly was a bit busy. Then, according to the plan, we let him escape. The crowd inside the mosque was so crowded, none of the officials noticed who read the poem?! After a while; we saw again that there is a lot of people and the young people are saying: "Is uncle Gholam dead, sitting down and reciting the Quran and then leaving!?" Do you know how many martyrs Tabriz had, now that we are reading Quran for them and leaving?! When I saw that there was a commotion, I got up and went to see Ayatollah Haqshanas and Ayatollah Seyed Hossein Ayatollahi who were sitting next to each other. I said: "Sir! The parliament is getting tense; You have to think about it." Sheikh Ibrahim Haqdan also came; But because his brother was the governor of Isfahan, we didn't think he should have given a speech. He was also standing at the door and welcoming people, which was just as good. I said to the gentlemen: "you think it is advisable, I will speak myself." Mr. Haqshanas said: "You, no! If you become known here and give a speech, all your secret activities will be revealed and you will no longer be able to continue your revolutionary work."

"Now you consult a book; Maybe it was good."

They got up and went to the neighbor's house under the pretext of renewing their ablutions and consulting a book. Then they came back and said: "It wasn't good."

I saw that the parliament is becoming very tense. I went again and said: "Sir! Can you consult a book with a change of posture?"

"- What change?"

-"Take the idea that we will go and get permission from Shahrbani to give a speech to see if it goes well or not."

- " Will you allow me?!"

- "It doesn't matter; I will go and tell them that I want to give a speech."

They went and consult a book and it was fine. I got up and we left the mosque with Ibrahim Jamali. And at each of the intersections where some policemen were standing, we would arrive and ask: "Where is the police chief?" But they did not give us an address.

We visited all of Jahorm and came back to the Baharestan intersection where Jame Mosque was located. I asked one of the officers who was standing there: "Who are you talking to with this radio in your hand?"

- "The police."

-"He should call the same radio to tell the police chief that Mr. Mehraban wants to give a speech at Jame Mosque before noon; What do you think?"

He also called and said: "it is replied from the police that we have nothing to do inside the mosque." Run any program you want, only you are responsible. Whatever happens, it is your responsibility."

That was enough for us. We went to the mosque and told Mr. Haqshanas that something like this happened and they also said that with your authority and responsibility; this means, it is allowed.

Mr. Haqshanas said: "Okey! Go and talk."

I went and expressed what needed to be said in general. I explained the narration of Mullah Ali (PBUH) that "Deviation to the right and left is the cause of error and misguidance, and the middle and straight path is the wide [divine] road." and said: "This justice that has been said means order." That is, to put everything in its place. Instead of shouting, you should shout, and instead of silence, you should be silent..."

Then, I told the people about the incident in Tabriz and that the officers had locked the mosque door and the Tabriz prosecutor had also said: "These came from outside." And in my speech, I said this about the prosecutor's justification: "Mr. Tabriz prosecutor! Does this mean that Iran's borders are so open that some people come from abroad and hold demonstrations like this, and then people are killed?!

When I finished speaking and came down, Ayatollah Haqshanas put his hand around my neck and kissed my forehead. That evening, Ayatollah Sayyed Hossein Ayatollahi gave a speech. After his speech, Nasrullah Maimane read the resolution. The day after the ceremony they were beating him in prison, he was known as "Mr. Resolution" among the prisoners. When he read the resolution, the assembly ended. After that, people came out of the mosque and demonstrated that the first martyr of Jahrom was Masoume Zareian.

Source: Mr. Mehraban, Memoirs of Gholam Ali Mehraban Jahormi, edited by Vahid Kargar Jahormi, Shiraz, Asman 8th, 1392, pp. 118-131.