Tehran authorities have sparked a wave of criticism following their decision to redevelop an area within the Behesht-e Zahra cemetery into a parking lot.
According to ABC News, this plan has raised concerns over the erasure of historical evidence and moved families of those executed to demand justice.
The site in question, Lot 41, is historically significant for containing the remains of many who faced execution after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Now, recent constructions indicate its conversion into a parking space, as verified by satellite imagery from Planet Labs PBC. The work seemingly began in August, suggesting a swift transition.
Tehran's deputy mayor, Davood Goudarzi, along with the cemetery’s manager, confirmed the city's redevelopment plan. While discussing the transformation, Goudarzi described it as a part of a broader reorganization initiative. He pointed out that the increased parking facilities would serve visitors attending a neighboring burial site for victims of the recent Iran-Israel skirmish.
The cemetery's new role has raised alarm among some human rights watchers. A 2024 report from a United Nations special rapporteur accused Iranian authorities of attempting to destroy evidence, calling their actions a deliberate move to obscure historical truth.
The Iranian legal system mandates the approval of family members before cemetery plots can be repurposed. Critics of the plan maintain this requirement has gone unmet, raising legal and ethical concerns. Among these critics is Mohsen Borhani, an Iranian lawyer who perceives the paving over of Lot 41 as neither reasonable nor lawful. Adding complexity to this issue is the uncertainty surrounding the disposition of human remains historically interred in the area.
The decision to repurpose this historically charged plot has resonated with echoes of past actions by Iranian officials. Enforcing such transformations, authorities have a history of erasing contentious sites, actions that have drawn parallels with similar treatment of Baha'i minority cemeteries and areas tied to protest victims.
The Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, first established in 1970, witnessed significant expansion alongside the growth of Tehran. Notably, the cemetery also marked the return of Ayatollah Khomeini to Iran in 1979, cementing its place in the nation's history.
Mohsen Borhani explained that the section catered not only to political prisoners but also included everyday citizens. This diversity adds to the complexity of the current debate over the site’s conversion. Borhani emphasized that this change represents a major disconnection from Iranian legal traditions and values.
Shahin Nasiri, a lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, emphasized that the graves and markers of political dissidents faced desecration. Removing physical markers deprives surviving family members seeking closure and accountability. Nasiri observed that this adds to a legacy of distress for these families.
Echoing these sentiments, Hadi Ghaemi, executive director at the Center for Human Rights in Iran, has criticized the lack of accountability for reported human rights abuses. He stated that the seeming impunity for atrocities and crimes against humanity has accumulated within the regime over many years.
Impunity for atrocities and crimes against humanity has been building for decades in the Islamic Republic. Many survivors and family members of the victims are still searching for the graves of their loved ones.
— Hadi Ghaemi
This controversy comes amidst enduring efforts to uncover the grim truths of what transpired after the 1979 revolution. Consensus estimates suggest that Lot 41 contains between 5,000 to 7,000 bodies of individuals the regime regarded as religious heretics. The wiping out of these graves has stalled attempts to bring past actions to light and achieve deferred justice.
Current urban development plans for Behesht-e Zahra have intensified global and local scrutiny. Families of victims and activists continue their calls for the government to preserve this historical site, contending that this erasure obstructs the truth about Iran’s past.
As construction advances, a deeper conversation is unfolding about whether Tehran can balance growth with respect for its historical narrative. The resolution will likely shape perceptions of Iran's commitment to confronting its past and honoring its collective memory.
