Arman Ali Verdi was a young student of religious studies who was kidnapped in the evening of October 26 during riots in the Ekbatan residential complex in west Tehran, and was brutally martyred. His martyrdom once again brought to mind the crimes of the Mujaheddin Khalq Organization (MKO) in assassinating people who were aligned or interested in the Islamic Republic system in the 1980s.
This horrible and sad crime in Ekbatan shocked all Iranian people. When people saw Arman's video, they asked themselves what sin or crime had this young man committed that they tortured and finally martyred him. Who are these people who commit these crimes and where did they get orders from?
Treason and crime against the people
As can be seen in the video spread on social media networks, a half-naked, tortured, lifeless young man with a bloody face is lying on the ground. The narration of Arman's friends and father indicates that Arman was beaten heavily. Arman's shoulder, nose and head has been broken, to the extent that there was no untortured part on his body. According to the doctor of a hospital where Arman was transferred, he had suffered a severe blow to his head. After being transferred to the hospital, Arman was only able to survive for a few more hours with a medical device.
According to the evidence shown by the video and the statements made by some arrested perpetrators, Arman is beaten and tortured only for refusing to insult the Islamic Republic. He resists until the last moment. And he refuses to insult the leader of the revolution, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Arman was defending his beliefs even in the last moments of his life. Such resistance leads to more violence against him. As it is clear in the film, a woman among the people wants to beat her again, despite Arman is lifeless.
Arman's killing was not a natural story in the Iran riots. Rather, the way he was killed is a deep account of the anger, hatred, and evil of the rioters, who have no fear of committing crimes against the people and the country in such an inflammable atmosphere. They consider themselves authorized to take any action. They falsely consider themselves to be the defenders of the Iranian people's rights and use the slogan of "woman, life, freedom" for killing and commit violence against the Iranian people. They talk about freedom in the streets but force Arman to “insult” his personal beliefs.
Like the MKO members who in the 1980s allowed themselves to commit any type of crime against those who were allied to the Islamic Republic, these days rioters are doing the same acts. The MKO portrayed itself as the supporter of the people but started to take arms against the Islamic Republic after 98 percent of the voters endorsed the Islamic Republic system in a democratic process. They martyred hundreds of officials and ordinary people in numerous shootings and bombings. They wanted to take power.
In one of the crimes of the organization called "Engineering Operation", three members of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, a cobbler, a teacher and an engineer were kidnapped and tortured brutally until they died. This crime was one of the most horrific ones in the modern history of Iran. Even shortly after the assassination of the officials, they joined Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, the killer of the Iranian youth, who had waged a war against Iran. They partnered with Saddam’s army in the war against their own countrymen.
Even now, in the streets of Iran, rioters commit crimes and treason against the nation under the name freedom. They want the people to rise against the Islamic Republic. They cooperate with Iran's enemies such as America, Israel and Saudi Arabia. And they want people to overthrow the Islamic Republic system. Most Iranian people do not accompany them. In fact, Arman symbolized the Iranian people.
President Joe Biden says the U.S. helps the protesters who want to “free” Iran! But as long as there are people like Arman who bravely defend the security of the country based on their own revolutionary beliefs and are even ready to be martyred in the way of their ideals, the Iranians will continue their path with strength. And this is the secret of unique power of the Islamic Republic, which American spy services are still unable to analyze and understand after 40 years.