The Resistance Units, an underground network supporting the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), have carried out various activities across Iran to commemorate the legacy of Ashraf Rajavi and Mousa Khiabani, and other prominent PMOI members who were killed by the Iranian regime on February 8, 1982, in an attempt to suppress the resistance.
Marking the anniversary, Resistance Units placed posters and banners featuring images of the martyrs in major cities, paying tribute to their sacrifice. Messages accompanying these displays described Ashraf Rajavi and Mousa Khiabani as “eternal symbols of freedom in Iran,” reaffirming the continuation of their struggle against the ruling theocracy.
In Tehran, public spaces were adorned with posters of Ashraf Rajavi and Mousa Khiabani, accompanied by messages such as:
- “The blood of Ashraf, Mousa, and their comrades is the torch that lights the path to our nation’s freedom.”
- “Ashraf and Mousa remain eternal and unforgettable symbols of the Iranian people.”
Images of Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), were also displayed, commemorating the martyrs of February 8, 1982.
In Isfahan, Resistance Units honored the MEK leaders’ legacy with statements reinforcing their movement’s perseverance:
- “We have traveled a glorious path and an even more glorious future awaits.”
- “Ashraf and Mousa live on in a thousand Ashrafs and the young generation.”
- “We will continue the path and tradition of Ashraf and Mousa until this regime is overthrown.”
Similar commemorative activities took place in cities including Karaj, Shiraz, Rasht, Qazvin, Hamedan, Lahijan, Kerman, and Kermanshah. Resistance Units displayed banners with messages such as:
- “Honoring February 8.”
- “Ashraf, Mousa, we freedom fighters continue your path.”
- “Endless salutes to Ashraf, Mousa, and their brave, heroic comrades.”
Tehran
Images of Mousa Khiabani and Ashraf Rajavi pic.twitter.com/AuauBqApaG— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 7, 2025
A History of Resistance
Ashraf Rajavi and Mousa Khiabani were political prisoners during the Shah’s rule. After the 1979 revolution, they ran as PMOI candidates in Iran’s first parliamentary elections. However, the newly established regime under Ruhollah Khomeini systematically blocked the organization from political participation. The PMOI consistently exposed the regime’s escalating authoritarianism, particularly its repression of women, ethnic minorities, and opposition groups.
On June 20, 1981, the PMOI organized a peaceful demonstration in Tehran, drawing over 500,000 participants to demand basic democratic freedoms. The Khomeini regime responded with brutal force, ordering the Revolutionary Guards to open fire on unarmed protesters. Dozens were killed, hundreds wounded, and thousands arrested. In the following days, thousands of PMOI supporters were executed in summary trials, marking the onset of a ruthless crackdown on the opposition.
Between 1981 and 1988, the Iranian regime carried out mass executions of political prisoners, particularly PMOI members and supporters. This campaign culminated in the 1988 massacre, during which 30,000 political prisoners—mostly affiliated with the PMOI—were systematically executed in just a few months.
Despite relentless repression, the Iranian Resistance endured. The sacrifice of Ashraf Rajavi, Mousa Khiabani, and their comrades laid the foundation for the ongoing struggle for a free Iran. Today, the Resistance Units, composed of young activists, continue their fight for democracy and human rights.
