IRAN: Prominent dissident publicly slams regime in Tehran at PMOI (MEK) supporter funeral

NCRI - On Thursday, December 3, 2015, Ms. Mehri Jannatpour, a long-time supporter of the Iranian opposition group the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) [Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK)], passed away in Iran. She actively supported the MEK for over four decades, enduring prison terms at Evin prison on three occasions after the 1979 revolution for her political views. Although she underwent brutal torture by the clerical regime, she continued to support the organization, and never submitted to the regime's pressures. Two of her children are with the MEK, one of them at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

A funeral service was held for Mrs. Jannatpour on Saturday December 5 in Tehran. Dr. Mohammad Maleki, the first post-revolution Chancellor of Tehran University, spoke at the event and praised the late Mrs. Jannatpour for her support of the MEK.

Below are excerpts of Dr. Maleki's remarks:

... What can I say about this women, a human being who lived her life like Zeynab [sister of Shiite Imam Hussein, who died in 680 AD]. She lived like Zeynab, and brought up her children and made them productive members of society. But she did not only have her own children, she also had children among those across the border [at Camp Liberty in Iraq], who face missile attacks, and experience thousands of challenges and problems. But, they are persevering and are as solid as a mountain. They are this mother's children. How fortunate she was!

There are many who come into this world, "enjoy" life and die. But the fulfillment experienced by such mothers is different.

Mother, what can I say about your compassion, your words when you could still speak, your knowledge, your talents, your wisdom and mind which was productive until the last second.

I can only say that there are now many who have been orphaned after your death. They say that people are orphaned when their mothers die. We are now truly orphans.

You lived like Zeynab. You lived like her and were among the Zeynabs of the world. Agents [of the regime] should record my voice and my words. Yes, I am declaring loudly that you lived like Zeynab and you were a Zeynab of your time. There were thousands like you, like Mother Dashti, who passed away a few days ago. She went to Heaven to make it ready for you.

On behalf of the family of the deceased, I want to thank all of you who have gathered here despite all the challenges to attend the funeral of this Zeynab of our time. Last night, too, I said at Mother Dashti's funeral that you should not worry. Despite all its problems, corruption and the ruling regime that breeds corruption, our society continues to give birth to many Zeynabs and Husseins.

There continue to be Zeynabs and Husseins. For over 50 years, both the Shah and the clerical regime tried to end this lineage [MEK]. But how can they succeed?

I am reminded of a quote by the late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri who wrote to Khomeini in a letter that rest assured, an idea cannot be killed through murder. You have killed so many, you have beaten so many, you have destroyed so many.

[Reciting a song by the MEK]: "You fired bullets, wielded axes, and targeted defenseless bodies." When you got nothing out of all this, you fired 80 missiles [at Camp Liberty on October 29, 2015] thinking that you can destroy it all. But be sure that just a few short months from now Camp Liberty will become even more beautiful, better and more gorgeous than it has ever been. This will be so as long as there are people who care for their people, and as long as they are people who say "seek freedom from cradle to grave." They remove the word "knowledge" [from the original Persian expression] and replace it with "freedom," because knowledge without freedom is not knowledge.

At a university that there are many so-called professors and scientists, they pay no attention to the disgraceful and depressing state of society, no word is said about theft and corruption, only silence. Yes, in this society, we must once again cry out:

"Seek freedom from cradle to grave."

Because without freedom in society, there can only be what you are witnessing now: theft, corruption, and prostitution.

And, Imam Hussein and Zeynab dedicated everything they had for freedom, and declared that they will "never surrender."

And we now see that Husseins and Zeynabs stand proud throughout history.

I once again thank you all on behalf of the family, and I ask you to please make your way toward the location of the ceremony.

There will be another memorial service held for this proud mother on Monday at 3PM.