The list of 17,000 Iranian victims of terrorism urgently needs to be revised and updated, addressing a significant gap—the exclusion of terror victims from the past decade. This task is of critical importance for preserving the spiritual and moral rights of these individuals and their families. Initiated some time ago, the revision process is expected to be completed in the near future.
Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in February 1979, Iran has endured various forms of terrorist threats from extremist groups and their supporters, resulting in profound human and moral losses. The overwhelming vote by citizens in favor of establishing an Islamic Republic in the early weeks following the Revolution’s triumph reflected the nation’s collective aspirations. However, this democratic choice was met with hostility from factions and groups unwilling to accept the public’s will and interests. These groups quickly responded with violence and armed opposition.
The 1980s marked a particularly brutal chapter, as terrorist and separatist groups unleashed widespread violence against Iranian citizens. It is crucial to highlight the word "citizens" here, as the majority of the thousands of Iranians assassinated by these groups were ordinary civilians.
The survival and continued atrocities of extremist groups against innocent Iranian citizens were heavily reliant on the support of regional regimes, such as Saddam Hussein's, and transregional powers. This backing never truly ceased. Although Saddam’s dictatorial regime—the primary supporter of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK)—ultimately collapsed, other criminal benefactors swiftly emerged to fill the void. These new backers have persistently supported the MEK and other anti-Iranian factions, fueling insecurity in the country and orchestrating the killing of innocent civilians.
While the height of terrorist activity occurred during the 1980s, the subsequent decades—the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s—witnessed the evolution of terrorism in new forms. These groups adapted their tactics to align with shifting regional dynamics, ensuring the continuity of their operations.
Honoring the victims and survivors of terrorism has long been a cornerstone of human rights advocacy worldwide and a vital expression of solidarity with affected citizens. Yet, in recent decades, Iran has been the target of malicious propaganda by nations that support anti-Iranian terrorist groups. These nations have falsely accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism while conveniently ignoring their own role in backing groups responsible for heinous crimes against the Iranian people.
Commemorating victims of terrorism not only reaffirms Iran's status as one of the world’s most grievous victims of terrorism but also serves to redirect global public opinion toward identifying and holding accountable the true perpetrators and their supporters.
The compilation of statistics on Iran's terror victims and the documentation of the 17,000 lives lost to terrorism represent a commendable effort to chronicle the crimes committed against Iranian citizens. This comprehensive list has served as a powerful asset in defending the rights of terrorism victims at international forums. The families of these victims have consistently called for the protection of their moral rights in both domestic and international courts and organizations. Such efforts honor and preserve the memory of the thousands of Iranians who sacrificed their lives in the face of terrorism.
However, it is crucial to acknowledge that this documentation and the widely recognized figure of 17,000 victims primarily reflect acts of terrorism committed between the onset of the Islamic Revolution and the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the decades since, terrorism and its sponsors have continued to wreak havoc, employing brutal tactics to exact revenge on the Iranian people and hinder the nation’s progress. This bitter reality persists: as long as terrorists and their enablers remain active, the machinery of mass murder will not cease.
Regrettably, the world has largely turned a blind eye to Iran's position as a victim of terrorism. Instead, some nations have unjustly accused Iran of supporting terrorism. Worse still, with the assistance of foreign powers and certain international organizations, they have sought to portray terrorists and criminals as victims, dismissing their heinous actions.
In light of these challenges, it has become even more urgent to review and update the list of 17,000 terror victims to address its current gaps—most notably, the lack of recognition for victims of terrorism in the past decade. Securing the moral rights of these victims remains a critical endeavor. This process, which began some time ago, is now nearing completion.