Name: Morteza Khodadadi
Date of Birth: November 25, 1949
Place of Birth: Torbat-e Heidarieh
Marital Status: Married (Father of a child)
Date of Martyrdom: December 26, 1981
Place of Martyrdom: Port of Anzali (Bandar Anzali)
Morteza Khodadadi was born on November 25, 1949 into a poor family from Torbat-e Heidarieh County, Khorasan Razavi Province, who made a living from small farming.
He attended the Seminary when he was 13, where he could gain Islamic Sciences. After a while, he moved to Mashhad to further his studies. There he got to receive his diploma in experimental sciences as well. He got married in 1979 and had five children.
When the riots erupted across the country against the Shah dictatorship, Morteza Khodadadi led the protest rallies in Bandar Anzali and revealed the true face of US-backed Pahlavi regime. Although SAVAK had issued a warrant for her arrest, Khodadadi managed to escape from custody.
After the victory of Islamic Revolution under the great leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini, Morteza Khodadadi was charged with the Imam’s representation in Construction Jihad (Jihad-e Sazandegi) and served in this organization.
Khodadadi used to encourage the youth to join the troops in warfronts when Saddam invaded Iran in 1980.
When MKO members assassinated high ranking officials in Iran, Khodadadi revealed the evil face of the assassins. He always emphasized that all people have to obey Imam Khomeini until the last drop of blood has left in their body.
After the bombing of Prime Minister’s Office in 1981, people took to streets of Bandar Anzali to protest the assassinations. Khodadadi shouted: “O’ hypocrites (a word used for MKO in Iran); you cannot bring the revolution to its knees by these heinous and inhumane actions, and you just uncover your true face.”
Seeing that Khodadadi’s existence would lead to their annihilation, MKO decided to kill him. Finally, on December 26, 1981, MKO members killed Khodadadi by throwing a hand grenade into his house.