I Do Not Sign

Warnings Before Arrest

Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2024-3-19

We acted publicly in the first year of entering the Faculty of Pharmacy as once the dean of the faculty, Dr. Zargari, invited me to his room. I don't know, maybe I was in the second semester. But I'm sure I wasn’t still a student in his class; thus I didn't know him. The story was that one day a gentleman named Mr. Nazmjoo, who usually sat in front of the faculty, monitored the students' behavior, and checked everything and everyone, called me and said, “Mr. Dr. Zargari, the dean of the faculty, have a word with you.” I was very surprised at what word the dean has with me. I went to his room and had just introduced myself when Dr. Zargari suddenly asked me in a thick Gilaki accent, “Are you Sadr?” I said, “Yes, doctor.” Then he continued firmly with his own special accent, “Who are you?! What are you?!” I said, “Doctor, what happened? I don't know what you're talking about!” He said, “Anything that happens in the college is said to have been done by Sadr. They regularly report me against you? what are you doing? In fact, for what you have come here?” I said justifications such as, “The doctor you were given a wrong report. These words are not correct at all.” In short, Dr. Zargari advised me sympathetically to focus on my study and stop [political] activities.

That day passed. After a while, I went to the university gym. Sports arena number one, located in the current Enghelab Square. That day, Mr. Sadrabadi, who was not at all clear what he was doing and what position he held in the Faculty of Pharmacy, entered the sports arena and directly sat down next to me. After greeting me, he said to me, “Well, Mr. Sadr! I want to tell you something in the world of friendship and that is that you have a bad dossier. Anything that happens in the college, they will attribute it to you and report. I don't know when they will deal with you, but your case is not in a good state and you should find a solution for yourself.” I didn't take his words seriously and said, “Oh come on Mr. Sadrabadi! you are kidding. I am a sports person and I have not done anything.” He also said, “I don't care what you have done or not done, but know that your dossier is not in a good state.” He left, and I was arrested shortly after…

Before saying that I was arrested in February 1973, it is necessary to mention that I had been summoned to SAVAK two or three times before my arrest, and they had taken a pledge of non-activity from me.

When someone was summoned by SAVAK, at first a letter would be sent to his/her house or they would give us a sealed envelope in the faculty, which was written: Mr. John Doe (name and surname) goes to the following address for some negotiations. The address was somewhere on Meykadeh Street (currently Dehkadeh), north of Tehran University, near the current Keshavarz Blvd. This address was known to all the guys who were active and had been summoned in some way. In my case, after I received the letter, I went to the same address, and since it was the first time I was summoned, I showed a so-called revolutionary movement; Of course, more experienced kids pointed out that I made a mistake and I shouldn't have done that. That day, when I went to the address of Meykadeh Street for the first time, I met a man who introduced himself as Siavashi. Of course, this name was a nickname, like other names, and I or anyone else who went there tried to keep at least these nicknames in our minds. Mr. Siavashi seemed to be a smart and astute person, and in fact he was one of those experienced SAVAK agents, and he introduced himself as the head of our faculty, that is, the Faculty of Pharmacy. Maybe he was right because his information about students, employees, professors, and every issue that had happened in the faculty was complete and accurate. It seemed strange, he knew people not only by their activities, but also by their thoughts and moods. In any case, he considered himself as custodian of our faculty!

In the Meykadeh Street building, they didn’t treat violently; they summoned the students and finally took a pledge from them. There, the procedure was that after being summoned, we would wait for an hour or two without any questions or answers, then we would be guided to a room to talk. There, the conversation was not an interrogation, but it was about the fact that we know what you are doing. you have done this and that work there, and raised such and such issue in the crowd, and in short provided a comprehensive information of people. This meant you are completely monitored. After this, they advised that Mr. so-and-so you are a student now, you will become a doctor in the future and have a good and prosperous life, don't ruin your life; however, all these were of course accompanied by threats and intimidation. As the saying goes, it was the very stick and carrot policy (punishment and encouragement together). At the end, they put a pledge sheet in front of us that we had to sign. This letter of commitment had three articles: 1- I pledge not to participate in any demonstration, strike or activity against the royal regime from now on. 2- I pledge from now on, if any of my friends participate in demonstrations, strikes or activities against the royal regime, I will inform SAVAK about their presence. 3- I pledge to inform SAVAK immediately if my home address changes.

When they put the pledge sheet in front of me, I read the articles one by one. Then I said will confirm with my signature the first article which is without problems; I also accept and sign the third article; but regarding the second article, I cannot pledge to report SAVAK about the friends present at the demonstration. I don't do that. Suddenly, Siavashi looked at me and said, “No. You must sign this agreement. we don't have here ‘I won't sign it,’ you have to sign it.” “I don’t sign,” I said. He said, “Why don't you sign?” He repeated this sentence repeatedly in anger. "You have to sign. You must sign. We brought you here to sign this sheet, otherwise you will not leave here.” I said, “It's okay, I won't sign and I won't leave here either; What you want me to do is spying. (And the interesting thing was that I was telling these words to a SAVAK agent.) It means I will report to you against my friends. Spying is forbidden in Islam, and because I am a Muslim, I will not do it.” Siavashi felt lost and did not know what to do with me. As the saying goes, he had been disarmed. He kept thinking until he got up and left the room. After two or three minutes, he returned with another person. Apparently, his name was Mr. Mahdavi, but Siavashi called him Doctor. It was clear he was superior than Siavashi. Maybe he was in charge of the whole university, because later I saw him two or three times who was going here and there at Tehran University. He was short with blue eyes. Moreover, he was handsome and well-dressed. His behavior showed that he was more experienced than Siavashi. “What's the matter?” he asked as he entered the room. Siavashi, who was clear had told him the story in advance, explained it again. He also closed to me and said, “Mr. Sadr, what is the problem?” “No problem, I said. He says to sign these three articles, but I only accept the first and third articles and I will not sign the second one because it is espionage. “Is problem just that?" he said. “Yes, I said. It's a big problem.” He said, “Don't sign well, even cross it.” I immediately drew a thick line on it and got out of there.

This was my semi-revolutionary action that my more experienced friends criticized and warned, “Remember this, whenever you are summoned to SAVAK, behave in such a way that they think you are not aware of anything and that you have accepted their advice.”

Source: Qobadi, Mohammad (2014). Revolution and Diplomacy in Memoirs of Sayyid Mohammad Sadr. Tehran, Sooreh Mehr Publication, pp. 87-92.