On a violent night of street clashes, a woman stepped forward and prevented a group of attackers from setting fire to a young Basij volunteer and his commander father.
During a chaotic confrontation on Thursday, January 8 (18 Dey in the Iranian calendar), Mehdi and his father, Sohrab — both members of the Basij volunteer force — were ambushed by a large group of rioters. Just as they were about to be burned, a brave woman and several local men intervened and saved them.
Survivors Tell Their Story
Sohrab, commander of a Basij unit, and his son Mehdi joined us to recount the harrowing events of that night. Sohrab suffered broken neck vertebrae and a head injury. Mehdi was slashed several times and lost a finger; he has since recovered following reconstructive surgery.
Protest or Planned Assault?
Sohrab began his account at sunset, when small groups gathered to protest rising prices and currency instability. After breaking the fast with juice, the Basij were preparing to help maintain order. As crowds swelled, masked individuals with multiple ear and nose piercings joined. Around 500 people were present when four welded-together trash bins were dragged into the street and set ablaze — suggesting premeditation. Some among the crowd raised Kalashnikov rifles; about fifteen others revealed hunting rifles and fired into the air. Homemade hand grenades filled with glass shards were also evident — all unfolding in minutes. With only tear gas and paintball guns as defense, the Basij found themselves drastically outmatched.
Standing with Only Tear Gas
Seeing firearms drawn, Sohrab ordered his men to fall back. He chose to stay and fire tear gas to cover their retreat. At that moment, Mehdi and another Basiji, Mohammad, arrived on a motorcycle. Sohrab shouted for them to retreat too. Mohammad was struck in the face by a thrown brick and fell. Despite Sohrab’s repeated calls to withdraw, rioters rushed them, initiating brutal hand-to-hand combat. Mehdi was shot twice in the lower back and fell; attackers dragged him into an alley and beat him savagely. His right side was cut with a box cutter, injuring his liver and head.
The Attack Escalates
As Sohrab tried to stop the violence, he was struck in the back of the head and lost consciousness. From that point, Mehdi took over the narrative. He saw his comrade Mohammad struck and pulled away. A rioter kicked him hard in the lower back; though he wore a helmet, the impact hurled him against a car. When he saw his father face-down and unconscious, Mehdi looked at his only defensive tool — a paintball gun — which offered no real protection.
A Son Protects His Father
A rioter pointed at Sohrab and screamed that their commander was in their hands. Instantly, the mob attacked with machetes, knives, stones, and bricks. Mehdi fought back with the paintball gun, shielding himself with layers of clothing that prevented deeper wounds. As he neared his father, attackers poured gasoline over Sohrab. To keep them from burning his father, Mehdi threw himself over him — and felt a sharp break in his own back. Molotov cocktails had been pressed to his body; flames crept along his clothes. His protective vest caught fire, but he shed it along with other layers.
Before he could free himself completely, another blow knocked him near his father.
The Mob’s Cruelty on Display
With both men on the ground, rioters stripped them — first their boots, then outer clothing. They dragged the half-naked victims about 100 meters toward another alley, apparently intending to burn them there.
Mehdi, barely conscious but aware, rolled over his father to shield him. The attackers continued to beat them. As kicks rained on Mehdi’s side, he invoked religious strength to stay conscious. When a rioter raised a machete toward his father’s head, Mehdi blocked it with his hand again and again, exposing his bones as his flesh was cut away.
“Burn Me First!” — A Woman’s Intervention
In the midst of the violence, a woman wearing a short cream-colored coat ran forward and stood between the attackers and the wounded father and son. She shouted that these men had given their lives over years to protect the community’s safety — and that if the mob intended to burn them, she should be burned too. Her act caused a small portion of the crowd to step back.
Seeing her courage, three men joined her and stood as human shields alongside her. Suddenly, green laser lights appeared across the crowd and Basij forces began shouting “Allahu Akbar.” The attackers, frightened, scattered.
With no strength left in his body, Mehdi was eventually found by Basij and taken to a hospital.
A Moment of Courage Amid Brutality
That night, an uncovered woman risked her life to stop the brutal burning of a Basiji father and son. She saw them as people who had protected her community, and by shielding them, she spared them from what may have been a deadly end.
From: Fars