ByDANYA SAPERSTEIN

JULY 9, 2026 16:00

Half a year following Iran's January 8-9 crackdown, where opposition-linked figures and internal evidence indicate fatalities ranging from 35,000 to 40,000, The Jerusalem Post spotlights several victims through accounts shared by relatives.

One such individual was Ali Mohammadi, whom his sister described as someone devoted to his aspirations and determined to realize them.

"His greatest dream was the freedom of Iran: that the people of his country could live the way they deserved," his sister told the Post.

To advance this goal, Mohammadi participated in street demonstrations amid gunfire from security personnel.

"Ali, unable to tolerate what he was seeing, picked up a stone and moved toward the armed government forces," his sister said.

He was shot from behind, with bullets hitting his head and heart, and collapsed in the street. Two companions contacted his brother, who transported him by car to the hospital. Medical staff determined he had perished at the scene.

His sister remained unaware of the incident for 23 days because of the nationwide internet blackout.

"I found out in the most painful way, through an Instagram page," she told the Post.

Prior to the blackout, Mohammadi had shared two Instagram stories that alarmed his sister. She reached out urging him to stay safe.

"The last sentence he said to me is one I will never forget: 'Promise me that when Iran is free, you will come back.'"

Mohammadi followed his interests through dedication and effort

His sister recalled Mohammadi as someone who "chose his path in life and work based on passion and love."

One interest involved restoring vintage automobiles, particularly classic Volkswagen models. In recent years he refurbished three such vehicles, carefully obtaining even minor original components from global sources and bringing them into Iran.

"For Ali, even a car was not merely an object; he gave soul to everything he loved," his sister said.

Another ambition was launching his own cafe, which he achieved just three months prior to his death.

His sister portrayed the cafe as a hub of "friendship, joy, and kindness."

Besides regular patrons, a dog and a cat visited daily and received his care. He also maintained a sizable aquarium filled with vibrant fish that he tended.

Mohammadi hoped to call his cafe Shams, honoring the late Princess Shams, and envisioned transforming it into an Iranian cabaret featuring a stage for singing and dancing.

Although compelled to use the name Shams-Khatun because of official rules, he anticipated a future free of the Islamic Republic and had already commissioned a replacement sign reading Shams for the moment he could display it.

Mohammadi held firm support for the Pahlavi dynasty and longed to witness Prince Reza Pahlavi in a free Iran, his sister told the Post.

"Ali believed with all his heart in a different future for his country, and that hope and dream formed an important part of his character and motivations," she said.

For Mohammadi's family, justice means accountability

Following his death, the family received no clear account or official admission of responsibility.

"For us, the most painful part was that even in order to receive the body of our loved one, we were forced to hide the truth of his presence at the protests, even though Ali had participated in the protests consciously and with belief in the ideal of freedom for Iran," his sister said.

Although the family eventually obtained his remains, they could not select the burial location.

Mohammadi had previously specified a wish to rest beside his father in Karaj. Yet the family was barred from interring him there or in Tehran and had to place him in his paternal village roughly 230 km distant.

This restriction weighs especially heavily on Mohammadi's mother, whose health prevents easy visits to the grave.

"We are still in deep shock and grief, and accepting what happened has been extremely difficult for us," Mohammadi's sister told the Post.

"Alongside the emotional pain, we have faced numerous psychological difficulties, emotional instability, and financial problems," she said, noting that the family had to relinquish his business, worsening their economic strain.

Mohammadi's sister called on the international community to monitor developments and human rights conditions in Iran attentively.

We ask the international community to act based on human principles and human rights in order to prevent the continuation of violence and violations of people's rights, and not to allow such tragedies to remain without accountability or follow-up," she said.

She urged global actors to recognize the oppression faced by Iranians rather than engaging with the Islamic regime for self-serving reasons.

For the family, justice entails identifying everyone involved in the protest suppressions and ensuring accountability under legal and human rights standards.

"It is important to us that there be no immunity, concealment, or cover-up in this process, and that the full truth be revealed," she said.