Martyr Javad Sarafraz

Javad Sarafraz was born on October 7, 1953 into a religious family. His father, Hojjat al-Islam Sheikh Abolfazl Sarafraz, was a well-known Islamic preacher in Tehran.

After getting a high school diploma in mathematics and doing his military service, he moved to England to continue his education. Following an invitation by Iranian students based in India, he left Leeds for India to study sociology.

As soon as he arrived in Bangalore, India, he started holding religious meetings in secret. After 3 months, he managed to establish the Islamic Association of Iranian Students in India and Bangalore along with other Iranian students.

Representing the Islamic Association, he met Imam Khomeini while he was in exile in Paris. He was much admired by the spiritual leader.

Javad Sarafraz finally returned to Iran in February 1979 to join the widespread anti-Shah demonstrations.

Like a close disciple to Martyr Seyed Mohammad Husseini Beheshti, the then Iran’s Judiciary Chief, Javad Sarafraz helped him so much that Dr. Beheshti described him as his “right-hand man”. He was known for his countering the anti-Revolution groups, including the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO, a.k.a. MEK) backed by the then President Banisadr. He was elected as a member of the central council of the Islamic Republic party as well as a Tehran head of Education Department and head of Iziran Company’s public relations. Close to his martyrdom, he could manage to establish the Islamic Association of Iranian Graduates Based in India.

Javad Sarafraz was finally martyred in June 28, 1981, along with more than 70 other Iranian senior officials, as a result of a deadly blast by the MKO in the headquarters of the Islamic Republic Party in Tehran.