Behesht e Zahra

Updated on Nov 19, 2023

Edit

Comment

Established 1970 Country Iran No. of graves 1,300,000		Location Tehran Type Public Number of graves 1,300,000

Size 534 hectares (1,320 acres) Address Behesht-e Zahra, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran Hours Open today · 6AM–7PMMartyrdom of Fatima might affect these hoursThursday(Martyrdom of Fatima)6AM–7PMHours might differFriday6AM–7PMSaturday6AM–7PMSunday6AM–7PMMonday6AM–7PMTuesday6AM–7PMWednesday6AM–7PM Burials Ruhollah Khomeini, Morteza Pashaei, Nasser Hejazi

Behesht e zahra cemetary tehran

Behesht-e Zahra (Persian: بهشت زهرا‎‎,The Paradise of Zahara), is the largest cemetery in Iran. Located in the southern part of metropolitan Tehran, it is connected to the city by metro line No. 1. The cemetery has been one of the inspirations for the popular webcomic, Zahra's Paradise.

Iran behesht e zahra 20 june 2011 mother of neda agha soltan at her grave

History

In the early 1950s, all the cemeteries in Tehran were supposed to be replaced by several large new ones outside the then precincts of the capital. Behesht-e Zahra was built in late 1960s on the southern side of Teheran towards the direction of the city of Qom and opened in 1970. The first person buried in Behesht-e Zahra was Mohammad-Taghi Khial.

Many of the deceased soldiers of the Iran–Iraq War were buried in the martyr's section of the graveyard.

Notable burials

Royalties

Hamdamosaltaneh Pahlavi (1903–1978) – daughter of Reza Shah Pahlavi

Badr-ol-Molouk Vala (1895–1979) – wife of Ahmad Shah Qajar

Ezzosaltaneh Qajar (1891–1984) – daughter of Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar

Sadigheh Pahlavi (1917–1990) – daughter of Reza Shah

Hamid Reza Pahlavi (1932–1992) – youngest son of Reza Shah

Esmat Dowlatshahi (1904–1995) – Reza Shah's wife

Politicians (Pahlavi Era)

Hossein Navab (1897–1972) – minister of foreign affairs (1952)

Mohammad Sa'ed (1883–1973) – prime minister of Iran (1944) and (1948–50)

Hajar Tarbiat (1906–1974) – senator

Amir-Abbas Hoveyda (1919–1979) – prime minister of Iran (1965–77) and leader of Rastakhiz party

Mahmoud Jafarian (1927–1979) – director-general of National Iranian Radio & Television (NIRT)

Parviz Nikkhah (1939–1979) – politician

Nasrollah Entezam (1900–1980) – diplomat

Abbas Aram (1906–1985) – minister of foreign affairs (1959–1966)

Amirteymour Kalali (1894–1988) – minister of interior (1951-53)

Mohammad-Sadeq Amir-Azizi (1904–1992) – minister of interior (1961-63)

Jahanshah Saleh (1904–1996) – senator

Mehrangiz Manouchehrian (1906–2000) – lawyer and senator

Sabar Farman-Farmaian (1912–2006) – minister of health (1953)

Safi Asfia (1913–2008) – chief of Planning and Budget Organization (1962-68)

Yahya Sadeq Vaziri (1911–2013) – minister of justice (1979)

Military personnel

Nematollah Nassiri (1910–1979) – Imperial Iranian Army (IIA) general and head of SAVAK (1965–78)

Jafarqoli Sadri (1911–1979) – head of National Police

Mehdi Rahimi (1921–1979) – IIA general

Reza Naji (1922–1979) – IIA general

Manouchehr Khosrowdad (1927–1979) – IIA general

Nader Jahanbani (1928–1979) – Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) general

Amir Hossein Rabii (1931–1979) – commander in chief of IIAF (1977–79)

Ali Eghbali Dogahe (1949–1980) – pilot

Houshang Vahid Dastjerdi (1925–1981) – head of National Police

Valiollah Fallahi (1931–1981) – chief of staff of Islamic Republic of Iran Army (IRIA)

Javad Fakoori (1938–1981) – chief of staff of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF)

Ahmad Keshvari (1953–1981) – IRIA pilot

Mir-Mohammad Mohanna (1901–1983) – commander in chief of IIAF (1948-49)

Hassan Aghareb Parast (1946–1984) – IRIA general

Hassan Abshenasan (1936–1985) – IRIA general

Hossein Fardoust (1917–1987) – IIA general and deputy head of SAVAK

Bahram Hooshyar (1938–1991) – IRIAF pilot

Mansour Sattari (1948–1995) – chief of staff of IRIAF

Ali Sayad Shirazi (1944–1999) – chief of staff of IRIA

Qasem-Ali Zahirnejad (1924–1999) – chief of staff of IRIA

Jalil Zandi (1951–2001) – IRIAF ace fighter pilot

Mahoammad-Hadi Shadmehr (1920–2008) – chief of staff of IRIA

Asghar Imanian (1929–2015) – chief of staff of IRIAF (1979)

Political dissidents

Saeed Mohsen (1939–1972) – Marxist activist and a founder of People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI)

Mohammad Hanifnejad (1940–1972) – Marxist activist and a founder of PMOI

Ali-Asghar Badizadegan (1940–1972) – Marxist activist and a founder of PMOI

Khosrow Golsorkhi (1944–1974) – Marxist activist and member of Tudeh Party

Keramatollah Daneshian (1944–1974) – Marxist activist and poet

Bijan Jazani (1938–1975) – Marxist activist and a founder of Organization of Iranian People's Fedai Guerrillas (OIPFG)

Mohammad Nakhshab (1923-1976) – founder of Movement of God-Worshipping Socialists

Hamid Ashraf (1946–1976) – Marxist activist and a founder of OIPFG

Ali Andarzgoo (1937–1978) – Islamist activist

Kamran Nejatollahi (1953–1978) – scholar

Ali Shayegan (1901–1981) – member of the National Front

Mozzafar Baghai (1911–1987) – member of the National Front

Ali-Akbar Sa'idi Sirjani (1931–1994) – journalist

Ahmad Zirakzadeh (1907–1993) – member of the National Front

Homa Darabi (1940–1994) – pediatrician

Ebrahim Zalzadeh (1948–1997) – author

Dariush Forouhar (1928–1998) – founder of Nation Party of Iran

Parvaneh Forouhar (1938–1998) – politician

Majid Sharif (1950–1998) – journalist

Hossein Makki (1911–1999) – member of the National Front

Noureddin Kianouri (1915–1999) – Marxist activist and general secretary of Tudeh Party

Parviz Varjavand (1934–2007) – scholar and member of the National Front

Zahra Bani Yaghoub (1980–2007) – physician

Majid Kavousifar (1979–2007) – assassin

Maryam Firouz (1914–2008) – communist member of Tudeh party

Seyed Ali Mousavi (1966–2009) – protester

Neda Agha-Soltan (1983–2009) – protester

Ramin Pourandarjani (1983–2009) – physician

Mostafa Karim Beigi (1983–2009) – protester

Mohsen Rouholamini (1984–2009) – protester

Mohammad Mokhtari (1989–2009) – protester

Sohrab Aarabi (1990–2009) – protester

Siamak Pourzand (1931–2011) – journalist

Hoda Saber (1959–2011) – journalist

Mohammad Mokhtari (1989–2011) – protester

Farideh Mashini (1960–2012) – feminist

Politicians (Islamic Republic)

Mahmoud Taleghani (1911–1979) – cleric and a founder of Freedom Movement of Iran

Mohammad Hossein Fahmideh (1967–1980) – war hero

Mostafa Chamran (1932–1981) – minister of defence

Mohammad Beheshti (1928–1981) – chief justice of Iran (1979–81) and head of Islamic Republic Party (IRP)

Mousa Namjoo (1938–1981) – minister of defence

Yousef Kolahdouz (1946–1981) – member of IRGC

Hassan Ayat (1938–1981) – member of IRP

Mohammad-Javad Bahonar (1933–1981) – prime minister of Iran (1981)

Mohammad-Ali Rajai (1933–1981) – prime minister (1980–81) and president of Iran (1981)

Hassan Abbaspour (1944–1981) – minister of energy

Mohammad Montazeri (1944–1981) – cleric

Mahmoud Qandi (1944–1981) – minister of communication

Mohammad Jahanara (1954–1981) – member of Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC)

Mohammad Boroujerdi (1955–1983) – member of IRGC

Hassan Bagheri (1956–1983) – member of IRGC

Mohammad Ebrahim Hemmat (1955–1984) – member of IRGC

Mahmoud Kaveh (1961–1986) – member of IRGC

Ruhollah Khomeini (1902–1989) – cleric and supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran (1979–1989)

Mohammad Javad Tondguyan (1938–1991) – minister of petroleum

Morteza Avini (1947–1993) – war photographer

Ahmad Khomeini (1945–1995) – cleric and politician

Asadollah Lajevardi (1935–1998) – warden of Evin Prison

Ali Akbar Aboutorabi Fard (1939–2000) – member of Majles

Rahman Dadman (1956–2001) – minister of roads and transportation

Mohsen Nourbakhsh (1948–2003) – governor of the Central Bank

Jamal Karimi-Rad (1956–2006) – minister of justice

Ahmad Kazemi (1958–2006) – member of IRGC

Mohammad-Reza Tavassoli (1931–2008) – cleric

Ahmad Bourghani (1959–2008) – Majles MP

Khadijeh Saqafi (1913–2009) – Khomeini's wife

Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam (1959–2011) – member of IRGC

Hassan Habibi (1937–2013) – vice president

Habibollah Asgaroladi (1932–2013) – minister of commerce

Mostafa Davoudi (1939–2015) – chairman of National Sports Organisation

Sadeq Tabatabaei (1943–2015) – deputy prime minister

Marzieh Hadidchi (1939–2016) – Majles MP

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1934–2017) – President (1989–1997)

Ali Shariatmadari (1924–2017) – minister of culture

Scholars & Journalists

Hushang Irani (1925–1973) – poet

Hassan Zia-Zarifi (1939–1975) – scholar

Mojtaba Minovi (1903–1976) – scholar

Mohsen Hashtroodi (1908–1976) – scholar

Issa Seddiq (1894–1978) – scholar and founder of the University of Tehran

Habib Nafisi (1908–1984) – scholar and founder of the Tehran Polytechnic

Azar Andami (1926–1984) – physician

Abbas Nalbandian (1949–1989) – playwright

Parviz Natel-Khanlari (1914–1990) – linguist and scholar

Mehrdad Avesta (1930–1991) – poet

Bahram Farahvashi (1925–1992) – linguist

Ahmad Fardid (1909–1994) – philosopher

Mehrdad Bahar (1930–1994) – linguist

Esfandiar Esfandiari (1910–1995) – scholar

Mohammad Javad Mashkour (1918–1995) – scholar

Abbas Zaryab (1919–1995) – scholar

Mohammad Taghi Daneshpajouh (1911–1996) – scholar

Karim Fakoor (1926–1996) – poet

Ahmad Tafazzoli (1937–1997) – scholar

Ahmad Aram (1904–1998) – scholar

Hamid Mosadegh (1940–1998) – poet

Morteza Ravandi (1913–1999) – scholar

Jafar Shahri (1914–1999) – ethnographer

Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob (1923–1999) – scholar

Mahmoud Mosaheb (1912–2000) – scholar

Abbas Sahab (1921–2000) – scholar

Parviz Shapour (1924–2000) – writer and satirist

Fereydun Moshiri (1926–2000) – poet

Parviz Dariush (1922–2001) – poet

Yahya Zoka (1923–2001) – scholar

Amir-Hossein Aryanpour (1925–2001) – lexicographer

Gholamhossein Ahani (1927–2001) – scholar

Ahmad Birashk (1907–2002) – scholar

Yahya Adl (1908–2002) – physician

Mostafa Rahimi (1926–2002) – scholar

Khosrow Shahani (1929–2002) – writer

Reza Beykzadeh (1946–2002) – journalist

Farrokh Tamimi (1933–2002) – poet

Iraj Bastami (1957–2003) – poet

Abdolhossein Navaei (1924–2004) – scholar

Kioumars Saberi Foumani (1941–2004) – satirist

Shahrokh Meskoob (1924–2005) – scholar

Esmail Navvab Safa (1925–2005) – poet

Parviz Atabaki (1928-2005) – author

Karim Emami (1930–2005) – translator

Nowzar Parang (1937–2006) – poet

Iraj Zand (1950–2006) – sculptor

Houshang A'lam (1928–2007) – scholar

Mahdi Ghalibafian (1935–2007) – scholar

Bagher Ayatollahzadeh Shirazi (1936–2007) – scholar

Akbar Radi (1939–2007) – playwright

Fereydun Adamiyat (1920–2008) – historian

Nader Ebrahimi (1936–2008) – writer

Massoud Azarnoush (1945–2008) – archeologist

Mehran Ghassemi (1977–2008) – journalist

Roza Montazemi (1921–2009) – author

Mohammad-Amin Riahi (1923–2009) - scholar

Abolghassem Mas'udi (1930–2009) – journalist

Bijan Taraghi (1930–2009) – poet

Esmail Fasih (1935–2009) – writer

Enayatollah Reza (1920–2010) – scholar

Seifollah Kambakhsh-Fard (1929–2010) – archeologist

Rahim Rezazadeh Malek (1940–2010) – historian

Shokouh Mirfattah (1946–2010) – scholar

Iraj Afshar (1925–2011) – bibliographer and historian

Manouchehr Vesal (1913–2012) – scholar

Simin Daneshvar (1921–2012) – scholar and novelist

Ehsan Naraghi (1926–2012) – scholar

Parviz Rajabi (1939–2012) – scholar

Baqer Aqeli (1929–2013) – scholar

Parvaneh Vosouq (1936–2013) – physician and entpreneur

Amir Hosein Fardi (1949–2013) – writer

Mohammad-Ebrahim Bastani Parizi (1924–2014) – historian

Simin Behbahani (1927–2014) – poet

Naser Katouzian (1931–2014) – scholar

Mahmoud Toloui (1930–2015) – historian

Mohammad-Ali Sepanlou (1940–2015) – poet

Nasser Pourpirar (1940–2015) – writer

Hassan Tavanayan Fard (1943–2015) – scholar

Shahriar Adle (1944–2015) – archeologist

Morteza Sohrabi (1946–2015) – scholar

Hamid Golpira (1960–2015) – journalist

Davood Parsa-Pajouh (1941–2015) – scholar

Abdolreza Houshang Mahdavi (1930–2016) – writer

Hassan Farsam (1932–2016) – pharmacist

Pooran Farrokhzad (1933–2016) – writer

Artists

Majid Vafadar (1912–1975) – musician

Saeid Hormozi (1897–1976) – musician

Afshin Moghadam (1945–1976) – singer

Javad Badizadeh (1902–1979) – musician

Esmail Adib Khansari (1901–1982) – musician

Hossein Gol-e-Golab (1895–1984) – poet and musician

Mahmoud Mahmoudi Khansari (1933–1987) – singer

Amanollah Tajik (1937–1987) – singer

Javad Maroufi (1912–1993) – musician

Abolhassan Sadighi (1894–1995) – painter and sculptor

Heshmat Sanjari (1918–1995) – composer and conductor

Hossein Sarshar (1934–1995) – singer and actor

Giti Pashaei (1940–1995) – singer

Rassam Arabzadeh (1914–1995) – carpet designer

Changiz Shahvagh (1933–1996) – painter and sculptor

Nasser Farhangfar (1947–1997) – musician

Jalil Ziapour (1920–1999) – painter

Rouhollah Emami (1940–1999) – film editor

Molouk Zarrabi (1907–2000) – singer

Jahangir Malek (1933–2002) – musician

Asadollah Malek (1941–2002) – musician

Morteza Varzi (1922–2004) – musician

Delkash (1924–2004) – singer

Hadi Ameri (1913–2005) – composer and conductor

Jafar Petgar (1920–2005) – painter

Fereydoon Nasseri (1930–2005) – conductor

Ali Akbar San'ati (1916–2006) – painter and sculptor

Ali Tajvidi (1919–2006) – musician

Babak Bayat (1946–2006) – musician

Omran Salahi (1946–2006) – writer

Fakhereh Saba (1920–2007) – opera singer

Hamid Qanbari (1924–2007) – singer

Elaheh (1934–2007) – singer

Parviz Yahaghi (1936–2007) – composer

Ghorban Soleimani (1920–2008) – musician and vocalist

Abbas Katouzian (1923–2008) – painter and artist

Khatereh Parvaneh (1929–2008) – singer

Nikol Faridani (1935–2008) – photographer

Shusha Guppy (1935–2008) – writer, editor and singer

Jazeh Tabatabai (1938–2008) – painter

Nami Petgar (1945–2008) – painter

Abbas Sakhaei (1953–2008) – actor and photographer

Faramarz Payvar (1933–2009) – musician

Hassan Shojaei (1941–2009) – singer

Mehdi Sahabi (1944–2009) – painter and sculptor

Abdi Yamini (1953–2009) – musician

Parviz Meshkatian (1955–2009) – musician

Mohammad Nouri (1929–2010) – singer

Bahman Jalali (1944–2010) – photographer

Andre Arzoumanian (1954–2010) – musician

Mansooreh Hosseini (1926–2012) – artist

Homayoun Khorram (1930–2013) – musician

Jalil Shahnaz (1921–2013) – musician

Morteza Pashaei (1984–2014) – singer

Mansour Nariman (1935–2015) – musician

Nima Petgar (1947–2015) – painter

Actors/Actresses/Directors

Parviz Fanizadeh (1937–1979) – actor

Esmail Koushan (1917–1981) – film director

Habibollah Bolour (1913–1982) – actor and wrestler

Mohammad Taghi Kahnamouei (1919–1983) – actor

Khan Baba Motazedi (1892–1986) – film photographer

Saber Atashin (1926–1987) – actor

Ezzatollah Moghbeli (1933–1988) – actor

Ezzatollah Vosough (1914–1991) – actor

Houshang Beheshti (1923–1991) – actor

Farhang Mehrparvar (1946–1994) – actor

Roghieh Chehreh Azad (1907–1995) – actress

Iran Daftari (1907–1996) – actress

Gholam-Hossein Naghshineh (1908–1996) – actor

Valiollah Khakdan (1923–1996) – art director

Jalal Moghaddam (1929–1996) – film director

Manouchehr Hamedi (1939–1996) – actor

Ali Hatami (1944–1996) – film director

Rouhangiz Saminejad (1916–1997) – actress

Jahangir Forouhar (1916–1997) – actor

Ali Tabesh (1925–1997) – actor

Ali Asghar Garmsiri (1911–2000) – actor

Mohammad Ali Fardin (1930–2000) – actor and wrestler

Nematollah Gorji (1926–2000) – actor

Jamileh Sheykhi (1930–2001) – actress

Mansour Valamaqam (1936–2001) – actor

Kanaan Kiani (1932–2002) – actor

Reza Jian (1949–2003) – actor

Mehdi Fat'hi (1939–2004) – actor

Manouchehr Nowzari (1925–2005) – actor

Fereydun Goleh (1942–2005) – film director

Ahmad Ghadakchian (1920–2006) – actor

Abdolali Homayun (1920–2006) – actor

Soroush Khalili (1937–2006) – actor

Vakhtang Nersi Korkia (1938–2006) – actor

Poopak Goldarreh (1971–2006) – actress

Garsha Raoufi (1933–2007) – actor

Esmail Davarfar (1932–2008) – actor

Khosrow Shakibai (1944–2008) – actor

Ahmad Aqaloo (1949–2008) – actor

Parvin Soleimani (1922–2009) – actress

Farrokh-Leqa Houshmand (1929–2009) – actress

Abbas Shabaviz (1929–2009) – actor

Ali Miri (1936–2009) – actor

Seifollah Daad (1955–2009) – film director

Peyman Abadi (1972–2009) – stuntman

Niku Kheradmand (1932–2009) – actress

Hamideh Kheirabadi (1924–2010) – actress

Mahin Shahabi (1936–2010) – actress

Mohammad Varshowchi (1925–2011) – actor

Mehri Vedadian (1936–2011) – actress

Esfandiar Ahmadieh (1929–2012) - film director

Hamid Samandarian (1931–2012) – theater director

Shapoor Gharib (1933–2012) - film director

Abdollah Boutimar (1933–2012) – actor

Touti Salimi (1954–2012) – actress

Saadi Afshar (1934–2013) – actor

Asal Badiee (1977–2013) – actress

Hassan Raziani (1931–2014) – actor

Nasser Gitijah (1935–2014) – actor

Anoushirvan Arjmand (1941–2014) – actor

Baqer Sahraroudi (1942–2014) – actor

Morteza Ahmadi (1924–2014) – actor

Ali Tabatabaei (1983–2015) – actor

Homa Rousta (1944–2015) – actress

Forouzan (1937–2016) – actress

Davoud Rashidi (1933–2016) – actor

Donya Fannizadeh (1967–2016) – puppeteer

Hassan Joharchi (1968–2017) – actor

Athletes

Ali Danaeifard (1921–1979) – football player

Hossein Sadaghiani (1903–1982) – football player and coach

Mahmoud Namjoo (1918–1990) – weight-lifter and olympian

Parviz Dehdari (1935–1992) – football player and coach

Mehrab Shahrokhi (1944–1993) – football player

Jafar Salmasi (1918–2000) – weight-lifter and first Iranian olympic medalist

Abbas Ekrami (1915–2002) – football manager

Hossein Fekri (1924–2003) – football player

Shamseddin Seyed-Abbasi (1943–2004) – wrestler

Naser Karfarsa (1923–2005) – football player

Hamid Shirzadegan (1941–2007) – football player

Aidin Nikkhah Bahrami (1982–2007) – basketball player

Aboutaleb Talebi (1945–2008) – wrestler

Fariborz Moradi (1964–2008) – football player

Abbas Qarib (1916–2009) – football player

Amir-Hossein Mobasher (1922–2009) – football player

Mansour Amirasefi (1933–2010) – football player

Masoud Boroumand (1928–2011) – football player

Nasser Hejazi (1949–2011) – football player

Leila Esfandyari (1970–2011) – mountain climber

Abdollah Mojtabavi (1925–2012) – wrestler

Hossein Madani (1971–2014) – volleyball player

Gholam Hossein Mazloumi (1950–2014) – football player

Hossein Maadani (1971–2014) – volleyball player

Aref Gholizadeh (1938–2015) – football player

Homayoun Behzadi (1942–2016) – football player

Mansour Pourheidari (1946–2016) – football player

Reza Ahadi (1962–2016) – football player

Others

Bozorg "Moody" Mahmoody (1939–2009) – anesthesiologist

Shahla Jahed (1969–2010) – convict

Mahafarid Amir Khosravi (1969–2014) – businessman

Reyhaneh Jabbari (1988–2014) – convict

In addition to tombs of the royals, politicians, and other significant people, in the graveyard there are symbolic tombs for the perpetrators of the 1983 Hezbollah attacks on the U.S. Marine and French peacekeepers' barracks in Beirut and for the assassin of Anwar Sadat, Khalid Islambouli. Similarly, a symbolic tomb was erected in the cemetery for Hezbollah member Imad Mughniyah, who was killed on 12 February 2008 in Damascus, Syria.

References

Behesht-e Zahra Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Sean T Buffington

Vincent Prieto

Behesht e zahra cemetary tehran

Contents

Iran behesht e zahra 20 june 2011 mother of neda agha soltan at her grave

History

Notable burials

References