Mehdi Eskandarian, 44, was a devoted family man who believed in a better future for all Iranians.
He died on January 9, 2025, in the protests against the Islamic Regime.
His loved ones remember him as the heart and soul of his family, who always had a positive outlook and hope to spare.
He was also an active outdoorsman, an athlete, and a lifelong fan of the Persepolis Football Club.
Who was Iran protest victim Mehdi Eskandarian?
He believed that the Islamic Regime was unqualified to lead the country and favored Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi's return to lead Iran.
He also spoke of his respect for the people of Israel and his wish that Iranian Jews would one day return to visit Iran.
He frequently posted pictures of the Pahlavi family and posed with the Israeli flag on Instagram, which is a serious offense under the Islamic Republic's laws.
Six months ago, he took to the streets with thousands of other Iranians to call for change.
He reportedly knew that there was a possibility that security forces might open fire on protesters, but did not tell his family in an effort to protect their hope.
“If we do not go into the streets for Iran’s freedom today, one day our children will have to do it instead,” he told his wife shortly before the protests.
“Today it is our lives, so that they may have a better future.”
A family man fighting for his children's future
On the first night of protests, he grew hopeful that change was possible because of the large crowds that had amassed. After Iranian security forces opened fire on the crowd, he helped injured protesters get to safety.
Even after he saw the first day of carnage, he still chose to go back on January 9.
His family lost contact with him that night during the shooting in Fardis, Karaj. They found him at Shahriar Hospital in Karaj with a gunshot wound to his head, as well as injuries to his neck and around his eyes, which the family believes were caused by beatings.
Doctors told the family that if he survived more than 72 hours, he might recover. He survived 75 hours in the hospital on life support, which was later withdrawn without the family’s knowledge.
According to his family, officials claimed that Eskandarian was killed by the Iranian military for alleged involvement with Israel.
What happened to Mehdi Eskandarian's body?
After he died in the hospital, his family was forced to collect his body from a morgue by manually searching through piles of dead protesters.
They discovered his body with the bullet still in his head. It was later removed during his autopsy and returned to the family.
His funeral was heavily monitored by state agents, and since then, his headstone has been destroyed by the government multiple times.
His family was told that because he was a rioter, he deserved to die.
Eskandarian is survived by his wife and two children, 16 and 8 years old, respectively.
Since his death, his son, 16, has been forced to become the man of the house’s and has taken on responsibilities far beyond his years.
On Eskandarian’s birthday, his son spent hours at the grave site hugging the stone and crying.
His daughter, 8, still wakes up at night crying for her father to come home. She does not understand that he is dead.
The family told The Jerusalem Post that their “biggest challenge has been losing the person who held the family together.
“Mehdi was the provider, protector, and emotional support for the entire household.”
They believe that “what happened was a war crime and that silence about it is unforgivable.”
The family also noted that they hope for “freedom, peace, and friendship between Iran and Israel,” because they believe that “both nations have suffered from loss and conflict for many years.”
The family has asked the international community to continue speaking out about protesters who lost their lives, and that negotiations between the US and Iran should hold the regime accountable.
“The world should not ignore what happened or allow negotiations without accountability,” the family added in a statement.
“He [Eskandarian]loved his family deeply and worked constantly to build a better life for them. He is gone, but his memory and what he stood for remain with those who knew him.”