Ayatollah Saeedi in Ezat Shahi’s Memories

Note: 10 June 2011, is 41st anniversary of Ayatollah Seyed Mohammad Reza Saeedi's martyrdom in Pahlavi’s torture chambers. He resisted, risking his life, when there was no bright sight in any one’s mind for the future of the struggle against the regime. Shah was at his power climax and about to celebrate 2500 years of Persian Empire. Nobody could believe the enthusiasm of ones like Ayatollah Saeedi for precipitating the monarchy system, but less than a decade later this was realized. Here, we refer to a short part of Ezat Shahi’s Memories, containing the story of Ayatollah Saeedi’s arrest and martyrdom, as his commemoration:

In late April 1970 it was heard some American capitalists [you read it investors] including Rockefeller are going to travel to Iran and as was announced the goal of this trip was to review the investment grounds in Iran. The society of the clergymen opposed the board’s travel and its goals. Ayatollah Saeedi made some awful critical speeches against the American investors’ trip. Our group too had decided to issue a declaration in support of these oppositions. It was arranged that the name and the signature of some well-known figures to appear on the bottom of the declaration. In other words, in this open opposition, in case of arrest, we were just distributers and the signatories would be responsible. We asked some outstanding political figures, like Allahyar Saleh, who did not accept. Dariush Froohar accepted the proposition under this condition that the declaration come out by the name of The Party of Iranian nation, a condition unacceptable for us. So the plan failed. Ayatollah Saeedi told he would issue a declaration by himself. His declaration was too critical and was followed by SAVAK’s harsh reaction. He was arrested and tortured. Ayatollah Saeedi was killed under torture and also because of his illness in his cell. (Ezat Shahi’s Memories, edited by Mohsen Kazemi, p.54)

Biography: Ayatollah Seyed Mohammad Reza Saeedi was born in 22 April 1929 in Noghan, Mashhad. He learned the Islamic religious lessons in Mashhad and Qum to Ejtehad level. He enjoyed the instructions of professors like the Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi and Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli. Then he was attracted to Imam Khomeini’s instructions.
He was arrested while preaching in Kuwait in 5 June 1963. He criticized the Shah when he heard this news in Nakhihil Hosseinieh. Ayatollah Saeedi went to Iraq after the Imam Khomeini’s exile to Turkey. He appointed Moosa ibn Jafar Mosque in Tehran as his preaching base, after his return, and started criticizing Shah’s regime.
He had a prominent  role in issuing some opposing declarations and announcements against Shah on behalf of some clergymen and most of declarations and announcements saw his signature on their beneath. Because of his sever fighting and oppositions and also his stimulant speeches against the investment consortium of American capitalists in Iran, He was at last arrested in June 1st, 1970 and martyred 10 days later, after enduring lots of tortures. (ibid, p85)

Translated: Asghar Abutorabi