Exclusive: Mohammad Khazari, a Victim of Nationwide Protests: Power Lies in Unity, This Regime Will Fall

Mohammad Khazari, a conscript soldier who was on leave during the nationwide protests and was hit by over 500 pellets, explained in an exclusive interview with the Persian section of Voice of America how he was injured. He stated that due to pressure from security agencies and the need for medical care, he was forced to leave Iran, saying: "...they started shooting directly, five times, with shotguns, from a very close distance, I think it was less than seven or eight meters..." He noted that the cluster of pellets indicated they were aimed from behind at his heart to incapacitate him quickly for arrest. He added, "The doctor's diagnosis was that the pellets penetrated into my lungs causing air, blood, and infection accumulation..." He described a very difficult night when he was laid on his back to remove superficial pellets and could not breathe, forcing them to sit him backward in a chair. He mentioned that his bleeding would not stop and he was delirious. He said: "...due to the excuse of serum being unavailable in the market, even pharmacies that had them were prohibited from selling serums, which caused real problems in the emergency treatment process..." Imaging showed that nearly five hundred pellets had entered his body, some deeply and in sensitive areas, causing ruptured capillaries and infection. "My left hand was completely incapacitated from the moment the shooting started for about a month and a half, two months..." He then referred to the pressures he faced after recovery, which increased daily. The numbers from which he received calls became anonymous, and the voices of those who spoke with him were altered, with no written notice or warning sent to them. "Until they entered the house, and fortunately I was in another location." He, who had been changing his residence frequently for his safety, ultimately decided to leave Iran illegally. He also mentioned his physical condition, which had been affected by the lead pellets in his body, stating that performing daily tasks like running, exercising, climbing stairs, and even tolerating polluted air, cigarette smoke, and even hot steam had become difficult, and he referred to severe pains in his heart. He said that from the moment he heard the start of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, he knew he would step into this path "100 percent and with certainty" and expressed regret that he could not do more as an individual, adding: "We all know that power lies in unity, power lies in being together... and the only thing I can be sure of happening is this revolution." He stated that despite initial despair, he now knows that no revolution yields results in the short term, and even after a year of this movement, the fact that the world has clarified the situation of these people with the Islamic Republic is the beginning of a movement, and he firmly believes in the victory of the people and the removal of the Islamic Republic. He emphasized to the teenagers and youth in Iran: "Be hopeful and be sure that this regime is a regime that will fall, and all the oppression it has inflicted and all the blood that has been shed in this path will be avenged." He urged them to take care of their mental and physical health wherever they are, to raise their awareness as much as they can, not to become pawns of the Islamic Republic, and to express their disgust for this regime in any way they can, assuring them that a very bright future lies ahead for these people. In the end, he sincerely wishes the best for all the affected families during the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement.