INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN — June 28 marks the martyrdom anniversary of Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Hossein Beheshti, one of the great figures behind the
victory of the Islamic Revolution
Little is known about him, but he was a cleric who played a key role in establishing the Islamic Republic in 1979.
Beheshti was not an
That can be understood from his background
When graduated from Qom Seminary, he traveled to Europe to teach the Iranian students in West Germany
To this day, many refer to him as one of the clerics who was years ahead of his time. He was also reputed as an astute planner and one of
the prominent figures behind Shah’s downfall. On February 3, 1979, Imam Khomeini appointed him a member of the Islamic Revolution
Council, and he soon became the council’s first secretary
He also became leader of the newly founded Islamic Republican Party (IRP), which was the major bloc in the Islamic Republic’s first
parliament. Beheshti played a leading role in drafting the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Constitution and was instrumental in the dismissal
of Abolhasan Bani Sadr, the first President of the Islamic Republic in June 1981
Feeling endangered and carrying bitter wounds from Bani Sadr’s ouster, the terrorist MKO group detonated the IRP office that martyred
Beheshti and over 70 other members of the party, including ministers and parliamentarians. His last words at the meeting right before the
deadly explosion speak volumes
Reportedly, the IRP was supposed to evaluate the country’s condition regarding the next presidential elections. Beheshti began his
remarks at the meeting, saying, “Once again, we must not allow the colonialists to prepare their players for us and toy with the fate of
Let's try to elect those who are committed to the school (of thought) and do not toy with the fate of the people…” and boom! There came
an explosion that sent over 70 people to heaven. At that time, Beheshti was in charge of Iran’s Supreme Court. The MKO was proudly
They imagined “gone is the progressive ideas of Beheshti!” Yet, time proved them wrong
Being famous for his iconic sentence, “U.S.! Be angry at us and die from this anger!” Beheshti was an anti-imperialist who stood up
against those who wanted to sell the country to the foreigners at the early days of the Revolution. Prior to his assassination and after
the ratification of the Constitution, the enemies, realizing his innumerable capabilities, had resorted to character-assassination by
accusing him of fraud while he was in Hamburg
When that plot failed, they tried insulting him in pro-Western media
But neither of these cheap tricks worked. He believed in the core principle of introducing the Islamic Revolution to the outside world
Therefore, he was one of the main advocates of the Tehran Times
He said the Tehran Times “must be the voice of the oppressed all around the world.” “That the Tehran Times doesn’t belong to the
government,” clearly reflects his vision of the paper and the mission it must accomplish
Therefore, the Tehran Times is determined to devote its time and energy to reflect the voice of the oppressed all around the world and fight
